E Pluribus Unum
by Goddess Bless
Summary: Hermione is thrust into the past due to an accident with the floo network and a time turner. There she meets and falls in love with William of Ealdor little does she know that this man is Merlin's friend. Hermione makes a home in Merlin's home village. Trouble arises when bandits come to call and the village is rescued by Merlin and Prince Arthur. Magical Love. Merione. HG/W; HG/M
1. Chapter 1

**Hello All! I've had this rolling around in my head for a while and since I've been slowly whittling down my active stories I thought that it would be okay to start a new one. I'm not sure if I'm going to follow all of the canon, but at least some of it will be followed. Do not be fooled this is a Merlin/Hermione story because there simply aren't enough of them. I hope that my work inspires you to write more of them, because I want more material to read! Anyway, I am finishing up my current year of grad school. My classes have ended, exams have started (which I should be studying for). But I am done with the work on Tuesday, and done with my office hours on Friday. Then I took a month off before working at an art college in Georgia for the summer. So, hopefully tons of updates. Here you go with this first chapter!**

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Hermione slammed out of the large hearth and gasped loudly upon impact with the rough straw floor. She vaguely heard another gasp and a mad scramble. Hands gripped her from under her shoulders and she was lifted to a seated position, the room swam before her eyes. Another pair, soft blue eyes filled with kindness and concern entered her vision. Her eyes trailed down the dirty face to soft lips and Hermione watched as they moved. Try as she might to hear what was being said a strong roar took up in her ears and she fell forward as her vision grew dark.

Hermione woke again, this time on what she perceived to be some sort of mattress, and groaned at the pain coursing through her body.

"There, there." A woman's soothing voice calmed her and an even more soothing wet cloth was placed across her aching skull. "Don't move too quickly or you'll be ill. You took quite a powerful blow to your head and are suffering the consequence."

"Concussion." Hermione murmured keeping her eyes shut.

There was a moment of silence, "You must truly be educated, Nobility, for you to know such medical terms."

Hermione opened her eyes finally at this sentence and turned to look at the woman. She was fair, an older woman with startling blue eyes and hair as dark as coal. "I had suspected your status, nobility, by the quality of your clothing. It is made of the finest quality."

Hermione tried to sit up, and only managed the feat with assistance from the woman. "I am not a nobility." She said once she was secured in her seating.

"But your appearance." The woman protested.

Hermione paused, "I was a royal tutor to his majesty." Hermione paused, "Prince Harry."

"I have no knowledge of this sovereign. Our Prince is Lot, and our King is Cedred. The next closest is King Uther and Prince Arthur."

Hermione listened and responded, "I am not from this land."

"Quite obviously."

Was an amused male voice and the two women turned to look at the youth who carried firewood through the door. "It is not every day that a woman comes out of a poor man's fire." Hermione reviewed the man's appearance, his clothes were poor and haggard, his hair was a brown, a shade darker than her own that was matted from the lack of hygiene, and finally his eyes. They were the eyes that she first saw upon arrival.

"You."

He grinned boyishly at her and placed the firewood down on the hearth of the large fireplace that took up a large portion of the room. Hermione glanced around, she was in a one room dilapidated cottage. Spaces were separated off by curtains and Hermione surmised that she was in a peasant dwelling, far before her time.

"I wondered if you'd remember me."

Hermione nodded, "I do, you," she paused, "you found me." Her chest tightened unwillingly when he flashed her another smile.

He pulled up a second tool. The man stared down at her. "Tell me how you can to come out of my fire. Were you birthed there? Are you a magical creature?"

Hermione opened her mouth to respond and he held up a hand. "Please do not lie to me. Whatever secrets you have to tell will be kept as such."

"Sub rosa." Hermione whispered despite herself.

"Under the rose." The woman responded. "Knowing Latin, you most certainly were a tutor."

Hermione smiled at the compliment. "I am no magical creature, and I was not born of fire. Not to my knowledge in any case. I am a sorceress," she chose sorceress over witch thinking it would be more acceptable. "I was brought here in an accident." She reached into her robes and felt bandages covering her upper chest. The place where her time turner usually rested. The chain was gone.

"If you are looking for your necklace, I am afraid that it was destroyed when you came out of the fire. Your body crushed the trinket." Hermione met the man's eyes and felt tears prickle behind hers.

"Oh, no." She whispered, unable to ebb the flow of tears any longer. "I'm trapped here."

The woman grabbed her hand and began to pet it soothingly. "Tell us everything so that we may help you." Hermione smiled a watery smile at the kind woman.

"I am a friend and tutor to Crown Prince Harry of the House of Potters." She glanced around, "I believe that I come from your future. We were attacked by an evil sorcerer named Lord Voledmort, his name means 'flight from death' because that is what he is capable of. He has made himself immortal due to his use of dark magic. Crown Prince Harry, Sir Ronald of Weasley, and I were tasked with destroying these artifacts so that Lord Voldemort could be defeated. He wishes to destroy all non-magical beings, and all those who associate with them. He despises them.

"We were captured by them and tortured." Hermione's face showed unease and she flexed and released her fingers in anxiety. "We were making our escape when a battle broke out. Our only chance was to floo out of the manor in which we were being held. The art of flooing is quite simple, if a fireplace is connected to the network, a series of other fireplaces, than one simple has to grab a powder and toss it into the flames. You call out your destination and it takes you to the closest fireplace. Ron brought Harry through first, as he was the most grievously injured. We were intending to meet at the location of our Order.

"I was the last to go through, a spell hit me as I was reciting the destination." She paused thoughtfully, "Only, it did not hit me, but my time turner. A time turner is a device that allows one to go backwards in time for a mere few hours. Time is difficult to manage and work with, however, I was trusted with one in order to protect Harry. The floo started to take me, the time turner spun. And now," she paused, "I'm here."

"What a terrible accident." The woman spoke, her voice haunted. "The pain it must cause you to be here."

Hermione shook her head. "It does cause me pain, yes, however I know that Harry and Ron were able to escape. There is still hope for Voldemort's defeat. Harry is prophesized to defeat him, and it shall happen. With or without my help."

"And until then you will stay here in Ealdor." The man's words were final sounding and Hermione smiled in relief.

"Thank you for your kindness."

The man waved it off. "It is the decent thing to do. There is an abandoned home near to this place, further into the village. We will place you there once you are healed. Have you any special skills that could help us? We're a poor village, any skilled labor would be appreciated."

"I can read and write, I could teach that to the children." She paused thinking, "I am also a medi-witch, a healer. Does your village have a healer?"

"A physician?" The woman gasped in wonder. "A woman physician." She finally said, sounding pleased with this fact.

"I believe all of your talents can be put to use here." The man stood and left for the door. "I must continue my work. I'll check on you later." He started to push the door open.

"Wait!" Hermione cried softly, and the man paused in his exit. "What is your name?"

The man turned back to her and flashed a smile that melted her insides. "My name is William, if it pleases you, milady."

Hermione smiled brilliantly at him, "I am Hermione."

"Get well, Hermione." Will left the home and closed the door behind him.

The woman smiled at Hermione. "You are here such a short time, and have already gained favor with our Will. It will be good for you to have a friend here."

Hermione smiled at her. "And, what is your name?"

"I am called Hunith."

"Then, Hunith, I have more than one friend here." Hunith smiled at her and helped ease Hermione back down into a resting position.

_E Pluribus Unum_

Once Hermione was healed she took over the abandoned house, which she learned from Will used to house a small family. They had died, the children and mother due to starvation, and the husband due to his grief. He had attacked bandits that were plaguing the town and taking the food.

They set up the slightly larger home to suit her purposes, a small bed and dressing area separated by a curtain; a small eating area, and finally the rest of the home was dedicated to beds for the sick and needy. Will, come time, built a small shed beside the infirmary, as it became to be known, for her to brew potions in. Another shed had to be built on the other side of the home for the children to learn in. The village banded together after the first year of her stay and helped to build permanent expansions onto her home so that she no longer needed to stand out in the rain in order to help others. Her home now housed her living space, a small school, and the infirmary.

Hunith had become her apprentice despite the age difference. The woman, who previously had no social stature, was slowly gaining. Where once she was treated with disdain, the mother of a bastard child, born out of wedlock to a man who vanished soon after getting Hunith with child, she was now an apprentice physician and midwife. It was important to Hermione that Hunith be happy. She had nursed Hermione back to health, and Hermione knew how lonely the woman was. She had a son who did not speak of often, though when she did her words were filled with delight. Her son, Hermione learned, had been sent to the Camelot, the capital city of the Kingdom of Camelot, which their kingdom resided next to. He went in order to be an apprentice to her brother, the Court Physician, Gaius.

Imagine Hermione's surprise upon finding out that the kingdom next to hers and time that she traveled to was that of Camelot. If only she could find Merlin, the powerful old sorcerer who her time treated as a god, maybe he could help her find the way home. She knew that Merlin was already famous, Hunith had named her son Merlin after all, and Hermione surmised it was name of tribute to the sorcerer. Funny, though, that magic was forbidden in Camelot.

It was William, though, that made her question going back to her time. Will was sweet and kind, funny. Though, he could truly be a downright prat sometimes. He taught her the insult, 'Clotpole' and she taught he how to read and write. Very slowly over the course of the first year William snuck into her heart. In her second year they began to officially court. And now, into her third year Will had asked her to become his betrothed. She accepted. That, however, was a dream and they both knew it. Her place in time non-withstanding there was the ever-present issue of the bandits.

Hermione wanted to fight them: she wanted to win. William would not risk letting her expose herself and risk retribution from others. Though they might not live in Camelot, they lived close enough to the borders to their laws for William to take the chance. Should Hermione ever have the need to travel to Camelot, and anyone there knew her secret, she would be killed. Instead, she went with a delegation of men to have an audience with the King of their kingdom, Essetir, to beg help. King Cedred would not help them.

Hermione and the others came back with broken hearts and Will held her, though not entirely appropriate as they were not yet married. Hermione sobbed into Will's tunic while he carded his fingers through her hair. "There, there, my love." He whispered gently. "We will get through this, we will be triumphant."

"But what if we aren't?" Hermione asked bitterly. "All I want is to marry you. But, we cannot do that until these bandits leave the village alone." There were screams outside and Hermione stirred and tried to force herself out the door.

"No, Hermione." William whispered and gripped her arms firmly. "I'll not let anything happen to you." They could hear the bandits yelling 'search the place!' and 'find him!'. "You must hide what little things we have in here to protect those who are starving and injured. I'll go check it out, and you work on your task."

Hermione stopped struggling. "You're right, go. Try not to make any more enemies, my love."

William grinned at her and despite the severity of the situation leaned in and kissed her. "Why do you worry? You know me."

"That's exactly why I worry. Now, go." Hermione released him shakily and watched him exit before using magic to hide all the extra food stores and medicinal equipment. Books were turned invisible and nice things were transformed to be hidden entirely, or turned to look old and worn. She continued until the screaming intensified to an unbearable amount as soon as she heard the horses gallop off she swung open the door.

Hermione left the hovel and saw Hunith on the ground clutching her face and being attended by others. "Hunith," she gasped and ran to the woman. Instantly her friend's face was in her hands and her magic itched to fix the bruise that was already forming.

"No, Hermione." Hunith's voice was strained. "See what you can do for Jakryn." Hunith pointed to the blonde man that was lying on the ground in a pool of blood.

Hermione's insides churned and boiled as she ran to the man and turned him over. His breathing was so shallow she barely felt it. He had been shot through with a crossbow. And even she, for all her powers and knowledge, could not save him. Hermione's frown intensified, but that didn't mean that she wouldn't try.

"Someone help me carry him to the infirmary." She cried standing and immediately men rushed to her aid. They grabbed Jakryn firmly but gently, and carried the dying man back to the building. Setting him on the table, Hermione began her work. It was hours later when she exited what had become the center of the village, to find that the town had taken refuge outside of her home.

"I cannot heal him." She said finally, feeling a failure. "I have eased his pain and given him more time, however, he will succumb to his wounds in no more than a fort-night. Please, I have prepared him so that he can have proper last rights and have you all speak to him before his passing."

The town murmured among themselves before breaking off to leave. Most put a hand on her shoulder or on her arm, despite the pretense that those of the opposing sex should not touch. She was the Lady Hermione of Hogwarts and Ealdor, sexless to all but William. Hermione accepted their kind offers and allowed Jakryn's friends and family to visit him, first though, out of all, was Hunith.

Hunith and Jakryn had grown close upon Hunith's social recovery. She was no longer a social pariah, and Jakryn was determined to make the woman happy. Hermione had been informed that when Hunith was attacked, Jakryn had run to her rescue only to be felled by the bolt of a crossbow.

Hermione stood in the shadows between homes and let William hold her. "Oh, William." She sighed mournfully, for Hunith to loose Jakryn. There was no worse feeling. "I wish there was something that I could do."

William held her closer to him and made a soothing noise. "You gave him more than could be asked for, the ability to have formal rights given, and a chance for them to say good bye. What more could be asked?"

"For him to live?" Hermione replied and sobs shook her frame. William turned the woman around and kissed first the top of her head, then her chin, both cheeks, her nose, and finally her mouth. They clung to each other as though it was their final meeting, seeing Hunith and Jakryn being torn apart made them value their relationship and envision their own mortality. William drew her to his home, seeing as hers was to be occupied by the town for the evening and fed the time-wearied woman.

_E Pluribus Unum_

She put down the spoon of her food. This would not do. She might lose William just as easily as Hunith lost Jakryn. William was seated by the fire, staring into it as was his past time. He jumped when a delicate hand rested on his shoulder. He smiled and leaned back into Hermione as another hand came to rest on his other shoulder. His hand reach up to her arm to find it bare. In surprise his fingers continued to trace over skin until he heard a gasp.

Nothing could have prepared him for turning around to see his Hermione aglow and bare in his home. "Hermione," he whispered desperately, his lips dry. "This is highly improper."

They had discussed sexual relations before, and he knew that those from her time era did not view sex before marriage, or any kind of sex, the way he and his people did. That did not mean that his feeling of arousal refused grow and it did not mean that his mouth refused to moisten no matter how often he swallowed.

"If either of us die tonight, tomorrow, or of any time before marriage. I want to leave this life with the taste of you on my lips." Hermione's voice was low and soothing and William found himself being pulled up from his seat on his upright log. They kissed desperately once more and William helped Hermione's nimble fingers in removing his vest and tunic.

While she removed his trousers William caught one of her pert nipples in his mouth and sucked harshly before biting down. Hermione gasped and her knees immediately weakened. William smiled and continued his workings, taking advantage of her moment of weakness; William picked up his love and carried her to his straw mattress bed. Lowering her down onto the threadbare bed they shared eye contact.

"Are you sure that you want this?" William asked. "If anything were to happen, if anyone were to find out, it would besmirch your honor. I could not live with that."

Hermione hooked her fingers into his belt and removed it, making sure to run her palm over and press it to his aching member. "Than, we shan't get caught." She removed his clothing and took his weeping head into her mouth. This was something that William had never heard of before. His musings stopped when she took a great draw.

_E Pluribus Unum_

Outside Hunith watched from the window. Her beloved Hermione and William. Hermione who cared enough to help her leave her adulterer status, and William who took care of her in her son's absence. Her love, Jakryn, might be passing, however their love was only beginning. She had to do something to protect them.

Leaving them to their lovemaking Hunith made a decision and went back to her home. Packing up a few of her meager belongings she left that night and made for the City of Camelot, in the Kingdom of Camelot. Hopefully someone there would be able to help her. If not for her sake, than for the life that William and Hermione deserved.

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**Catch you later!**

**Cheers**

**iBless!**


	2. Chapter 2

**I've decided to post the first three chapters tonight, as opposed to spacing them out because it really makes sense to read them all together. I hope that people will enjoy all of this and will give me pretty, pretty reviews.**

**My stuff is not edited, just so you know. I would love to have time to be a graduate assistant, full time student, study body active member, and superaweseomeamazing fanfiction writer and editor, but alas some things must be chosen and some things must be lost.**

**Hope you enjoy!**

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Kanen and his men returned in a week's time, none had seen Hunith, though no one had blamed the woman for deserting the village after her lost love. They found the stores of food; Hermione had meant to hide them but hadn't been privy to the location. She cursed herself for being a woman. She and William watched as Matthew tried to reason with Kanen, and though Kanen's words seemed decent Hermione knew an evil man when she saw one. Before thinking she ran towards the two, Kanen attacked Matthew and was coming in for the killing blow with his war axe when Hermione tackled him roughly.

There was no time for him to retaliate as riders rode in and a man in chainmail sprung from his horse. A battle commenced and Kanen turned on Hermione. "Thought that you would be a hero, eh? Cheeky miss." He taunted her as they circled each other. The town didn't know who to watch, the strangers or their beloved healer and teacher the Lady Hermione. William was torn even further, though he knew the opportunity that she was given them. Swiftly he instructed the people to gather up the grain that had been discovered and rehide it. That was when he saw him, his old friend- Merlin.

The bandits started to retreat and Kanen mounted his horse. Will walked over to Merlin who was staring at his sword, already William had caught him using magic- the boy never learned to be subtle.

"You'll pay for this with your lives! All of you!" Kanen turned his horse to leave when he spotted the confident woman, the Lady Hermione. "And you, I'll take great pleasure stabbing a sword straight through your bitch's heart." He then kicked his horse into a gallop and retreated with his men.

"You still up to the same old magic tricks again?" Will asked approaching his old friend. Hermione turned around and strode back to the infirmary furious with herself. William watched her go out of the corner of his eye, vowing to check on her later. "Look, I thought I told you that I don't want your kind round here."

Their hard atmosphere was broken when both men broke into wide smiles.

"Missed you too Will." They hugged. "How have you been?"

"Good, I've heard you're skiving for some prince."

"No, I wouldn't do that, I wouldn't say that I'm skiving." The man lied awfully.

"Merlin." Merlin looked over at his master. "Gather the villagers, I need to talk to them."

"Yea, in a minute- I'm just talking." Merlin gestured to Will.

"Now," The prince's tone was final, "Merlin there isn't much time."

"Yes, sire." Merlin responded, he shared a look with Will and then turned at a run to follow Arthur's orders.

William stared after them before hearing Merlin call to everyone about a village meeting. He sighed and went to fetch Hermione. Finding her brewing healing potions William grabbed the fingers on her free hand and met her eyes. "Is it safe to kiss them or will I die from something unnatural?" He asked partially serious, partially playful.

Hermione grinned at him despite her shaken appearance. "Why don't you kiss them and find out." Hermione replied her words playful in a way that her shaking voice didn't match.

William let her hand go and wrapped his arms around his waist and brought her close, "I'd rather kiss your mouth, if it's all the same." He leaned down the scant few inches and captured her lips in a searing kiss. She clung to him and he felt her fright as well as her bravery. He knew no other woman that made him feel like this, and he wanted to know no other.

"We must go to the center of the village. Some prince wants to speak down to us." William said releasing her.

Hermione shook with mirth and shot him another grin, those grins that were saved solely and used solely for him, and checked her potion. "I supposed I can leave these alone for the time being. Let's go see what he has to say." They started towards the door and Hermione placed her hand on his arm, "and try to not be insufferable."

"Insufferable." William squawked indignantly as Hermione strode away from him and towards the others. Shaking his head, Will broke into a trot to keep up with her. He did when they reached the center and he leaned down to whisper. "I am not insufferable."

"You are, and you are a clotpole too. Now shush, my beloved man-boy." She turned away from him and watched as Arthur brought the meeting to order.

"I know Kanen's kind, he'll be back. And when he is, you must be ready for him. First of all we have to prepare-"

"Am I the only one wondering," Hermione never wanted to murder her betrothed so much in her entire life, "who the hell this is." She palmed her forehead roughly with her hand and despite the gravity of the situation, the villagers who saw her legendary reaction smirked and chuffed. She could do a lot of things, their Lady Hermione, but controlling Will's mouth was not one of them, no matter how much she wished.

"I'm Prince Arthur of Camelot." Hermione's breath stopped. This was Prince Arthur, the Once and Future King of Camelot. Her eyes nearly bugged out of her head. He was the future king, Arthur Pendragon, and her meatball of a fiancé was mouthing off to him. If she could conjure a hole in the ground and bury herself in it, she would.

"Yeah? And I'm Prince William of Ealdor." She resisted the urge to knock her head slowly and repeatedly against the nearest hard object. William, she decided, needed to have his mouth sown shut. It just so happened that she was a wonderful seamstress, so, she could help him with that.

"Keep quiet, he's here to help us." Hunith countered and Hermione could have kissed the woman right now.

"He's made things worse. Kanen will come back, and when he does then he'll be looking for revenge." Will refused to see reason.

"He already would be, William." Hermione voiced and took a step forward. The crowd hushed, as a figure in this town, Hermione's word was a good as gold- even if they wouldn't tell her where they kept the hidden grain. "I hit him. Attacked him. He'd be back anyway, and if you weren't so stupid you'd accept help from those who could give it." Hermione's voice trembled and she turned abruptly and left the square.

"You've signed our death warrant!" William refused to believe that Hermione had also started the problem.

"He saved Matthew's life." Hunith protested.

"No, Hermione did."

"It's all right, Hunith. It's his village." Arthur paused, "What would you have us do?"

William was at a loss for words for a few moments, a noble asking his opinion. He opened his mouth a few times before formulating words, "We cannot fight against Kanen. He has too many men."

"So, what's the alternative?"

"Give him what he wants."

"Then what?" William looked away from Arthur's gaze, beaten. "Those of you who don't starve to death will face him next harvest. And the harvest after that."

"We'll manage, we'll survive." William replied looking around at his fellow villagers.

"How?" Arthur asked not unkindly, "The only way he can be stopped is if you stand up to him."

"No! You just want the honor and glory of battle- that's what drives men like you. Look, if you want to fight go home," William pointed the way out of the village, "and threaten the lives of your own people. Not ours." With that William left the village square angry. He was angry with Merlin, with Arthur, with Hunith, with Hermione, and most importantly, with himself.

"Will." Merlin was following him.

_E Pluribus Unum_

Merlin found Will cleaning up his home that had been ransacked by the bandits.

"He knows what he's doing, you have to trust him."

Will just stared at his one time friend and then shooed a chicken off the kitchen table.

"Look," Merlin came forward, "when I first met Arthur I was exactly like you." William snorted and propped back up his father's fallen armor. "I hated him, thought he was pompous and arrogant." Merlin started to help clean up the damage.

"So, nothing's changed there then."

Merlin couldn't help the small smile at his friend's sharp tongue. "But," he continued, "in time I came to respect him for what he stands for, what he does."

"Yeah, I know what he stands for." Even knowing Hermione's past, and her placement in society did not soften William's hatred for the nobility class. "Princes, Kings, and all men like him."

"Will." Merlin's voice was filled with defeat from his friend's words. "Don't bring what happened to your father into this."

Will spun around. "I'm not." He paused. "Why are you defending him so much? You're just his servant."

"He's also my friend."

"Friends don't lord over everyone."

"He's not like that."

"Really?" William's eyes were bright with tears. "Let's wait for battle and see who he sends in first. I guarantee you it won't be him."

"Will, I trust Prince Arthur with my life."

"Is that so?" Will asked challengingly. "So, he knows your secret then." Merlin's stare, a mixed with anger and shame was all the answer that William needed. Will's heart broke that his friend was being so poorly treated, tricked, and abused. "Face it Merlin, you're living a lie. Just like you were here." Merlin's gaze left his and began to look anywhere than at his friend. "You're Arthur's servant, nothing more. Then why should you tell him the truth?"

Merlin stormed off and William called after him. A part of him was sorry for what he said; he had obviously hurt the wizard. However, he felt as though he owed it to Merlin, his oldest and dearest friend, to be honest with him, and help Merlin be honest with himself.

_E Pluribus Unum_

Hermione was surprised, the next day, to see a young man all but storm out of Hunith's home. He bumped into her and to keep her from falling she clung to him, and him to her. Their eyes met and Hermione couldn't repress the shudder of such a powerful and beautiful gaze. "Excuse me." He murmured urgently before levering her upwards, letting her go, and grabbing an axe that was leaning against the mud packed side of the home. He then saluted her kindly and Hermione was left to watch his tall and willowy figure march away.

She stepped into the house to find Hunith was the strangest expression on her face. "What was all that about?" Hermione questioned. Glancing around she noticed a lot more bed than necessary for just Hunith.

"That was my son." Hunith replied breathily, still staring out the door as though she could still see him.

"Oh?" Hermione questioned as she set to work putting away blankets and such. "He's part of the group that came here to help, isn't he? I saw him standing next to the prince."

"He's the prince's manservant." Hermoine nodded listening, "and friend."

"That's lovely." Hermione replied not really listening. She finished her job before turning to Hunith.

"Jakryn still has a few days left. I thought that maybe you'd like to see him."

"Oh, Hermione." Hunith's stare was haunted and she blinked before using her hands to grab dishes and bring them to a pail of soppy and dirty water. "I just couldn't." Her hands shook, "I am needed where I am." Soft and warm hands grabbed Hunith's and tugged the dishes out of her grip.

"You are needed with him. You'd never forgive yourself should he die and you not having made your peace."

"Peace." Hunith murmured, her heart breaking, "I fear I will never make peace." Hermione wanted to cry, but instead she grabbed the older woman and held her as the woman began to sob in earnest.

_E Pluribus Unum_

"So what if Arthur finds out?" William asked. He had caught Merlin going into the woods and they now sat in conversation on a felled log.

"I don't expect you to understand." Merlin replied and William prickled, first with Merlin having magic and then Hermione- he would understand more than any one would.

"Try me." They stood and faced each other.

"One day Arthur will be a great king. But he needs my help. And if anyone, ever, found out about my powers I'd have to leave Camelot for good."

"Are you telling me that you'd rather keep your magic a secret for Arthur's sake?" William knew that he was being ridiculous- wasn't this the same thing that Hermione did for him? "That you won't use it to protect your friends and family?"

Merlin's look at him broke Will's heart. They gazed at the village before Will had an idea. "Forget the wood for now, I have someone that you should meet." At first Merlin hesitated, but with more jockeying Will was able to convince Merlin to follow him back the village and through the streets until they ended in front of a large building, much larger, in fact, than any of the other ones.

"This is new, I don't know this place." Merlin said in wonder and Will grinned widely before steering his friend inside. Seeing the room was smaller than the outside, that the building had actual wooden walls to separate the areas immediately startled Merlin. This was not something common in a poor outlying village. They were in a room filled with flattened logs and small straw mats. Burned sticks and small flat rocks were everywhere and Merlin spied writing everywhere. This was a school room- in his village no less.

"That door on the right is the infirmary." Will gestured to a door. "It has its own entrance, that door on the left leads to personal quarters of our teacher and physician." Will lead them towards the door. "It has its own entrance as well, however I wanted to give you a tour." William stopped and knocked on the door. Hearing a response, he entered. The room was not unlike Gaius' chambers back at the palace. Most of it was dedicated to a brewing table; baskets lined the edges and were meant for herbs. A large fireplace existed against a wall and finally there were what Merlin would assume was sleeping chambers that were curtained off.

A person was half sitting on a bench working diligently on pouring potions from a cauldron into small vials. It was a woman with a long and thick wave of curled hair. Her body was moderately sized and Merlin's chest restricted as such beauty. Will didn't say anything until the task was done and a head lifted from the concentrated position. If her body was beautiful, than her face could have no comparison. Freckles adorned the bridge and spanned over high cheekbones. Her eyes were soft hazel brown and her face was heart shaped. Her nose was slightly too large for traditional beauty, however it seemed to suit her features. Merlin was smitten.

"Hello." The woman smiled at them and Merlin was surprised to see Will immediately start forward and place a kiss on top of the woman's head.

"Merlin, I would like you to meet Hermione, my betrothed." Merlin's stomach dropped out of his body, but he forced a smile.

"Pleasure." Hermione nodded at his statement..

"Likewise, it is an honor to meet Hunith's son."

"Right, you were heading into my mother's house this morning." Merlin paused, if this was the village's physician, "is she ill?" He asked at last.

Hermione's face took on very sad features. "She is not, however, she is about to lose someone who is very precious to her."

"Who?" Merlin asked trying not to sound surprised. He had noticed that his mother's living conditions had improved, and that the town now looked at her with respect. However, it was still a surprise to hear of his mother in a relationship, she had never stopped loving his father as far as he knew.

"I." Hermione paused unable to complete the sentence, unsure.

"Jakryn." William finished, sensing his beloved's struggle. "He was injured by Kanen upon trying to rescue Hunith. Hermione has been able to make him comfortable, however his time grows increasingly short."

Merlin's eyes looked panicked. "Where is she?" He asked.

"With him." Hermione started forward and put a hand up, though made no contact with Merlin. "Please, don't disturb them. This is a very difficult situation." Merlin didn't stop to listen to her but ran out of the room and across the school. He ripped open the door to the infirmary and spotted a figure seated behind a curtained off corner. Cautiously, afraid that what Hermione had just said to be true, Merlin slid the curtain aside.

Hunith was there, crying and holding on Jakryn's hand. His breathing was shallow and uneven; his skin was a pallor that practically screamed of ill health. "Mother." He murmured and came over to the woman who was caught up in her grief.

Upon his touch Hunith looked up. "Oh, Merlin." She dabbed her tears before rendering the motion useless. "He is going to die. And he's going to die because I was foolish." She buried her head in her son's shoulder has he crouched down to hold her.

"Now, now." He whispered in comfort and ran his hand soothing on the woman's back. "I'm sure that's not true."

"I made myself a target, I said things to Kanen, and I drew his wrath. He hit me and Jakryn came to my defense. It is all my fault. And, there's nothing that I can ever do to fix it."

Merlin did not know enough healing magic to fix the dying man, that much was true, and so all he could do was hold the woman who he loved most dearly of all.

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**What do you all think? I'm following this episode pretty closely, and hopefully you'll all have noticed that.**

**Yep, yep. And if you're really nice you'll review for each chapter so that this story doesn't get an abnormally low review count. Because I depend on the review count as a part of deciding whether or not to read the story.**

**Cheers**

**iBless!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Last one that I am putting up tonight, that I know of, so I hope you've all enjoyed the three chapter introduction to E Pluribus Unum. Once again I'm a poor forever graduate student who looks for an outlet from writing scientific stuff alllll the time.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Merlin did not leave his mother's side all day and well into the evening. He was surprised that Arthur had not come for him and William informed him that the prince had tried. Hermione, Will informed him, would not hear of it and sent the prince on his way.

"She did what?" Merlin asked with a laugh trying imagine the situation.

Will broke into a smile, "I know. If I didn't know her, I would never believe it myself, but she's." He paused with a happy sigh and Merlin was surprised. He had never seen his friend more happy or at ease, even in the face of this danger. "She's everything to me. She has a lion's heart, strong and brave. She'll protect anyone, stand up to anyone."

"Where did she come from?" Merlin asked in wonder, she was not a native of his village.

Will frowned. "She actually arrived not long after you left, maybe a month. Some sorcerer had injured her in an attack. She barely escaped with her life. I found her just lying unconscious, with nothing to her hand except a small empty beaded pouch and the clothes on her back. Your mother, bless her heart, nursed Hermione back to health. Before the attack Hermione had been a tutor to a nobleman, and she also knew healing remedies. In a show of thanks she stayed here."

"And you fell in love with her." Merlin stated matter-of-factly. Just because he may have had certain feelings for the girl at first sight, didn't mean that he didn't support his friend in finding love.

"Fell doesn't even begin to explain how it happened. It was as though she was a candle and I, a small and very willing moth. She lights up my world, Merlin. Every day is worth living when she's with me."

Merlin couldn't be happier for his friend. Love had to be one of the greatest magics ever to exist and his friend had found it. Further, it was returned.

A scream interrupted the conversation and the two ran off in the direction of the main road. Arthur had already instructed men to removed Matthew from the horse and Merlin gasped in horror. Matthew had been a friend; he had looked after his mother just as Will had.

"No." He murmured feeling useless.

"Out of my way." A strong female voice was heard and the crowd was parted. Hermione in all of her glory stalked up to Matthew and eyed him.

"He is dead, milady." Arthur said nobly, prepared to help the grieving woman. She fixed him with a pointed stare.

"He's dead, when I say he's dead and not a moment sooner."

Arthur chose not to fight the woman and bent down to tug the note from the arrow that protruded from Matthew's back.

"What does it say?" Merlin asked fearfully.

"Let the rest of this day be your last." Arthur read with an odd note in his voice. A scream broke through the crowd and Matthew's wife ran to him unable to help her grief.

"You did this. Look what you've done, you've killed him." Will pushed through the crowd to stand against Arthur.

"It wasn't his fault." Merlin tried to reason with Will.

"If he hadn't been strutting around treating us like his own personal army, this would never have happened." Will's voice broke in his grief, Matthew was his older brother. Will began to win over the crowd.

"These men," Arthur began and pointed to the men of the village, "are brave enough to fight for what they believe in even if you aren't."

"You're sending them to their graves." Arthur could not fight such a statement and stared down at the grieving woman and his husband. "You've killed one man, how many more need to die before you realize that this is a battle that cannot be won." Will met Merlin's eyes. "When Kanen comes you haven't got a chance. You're going to be slaughtered."

Will stormed off and Hermione had had quite enough. "I need some strong men to carry him to the infirmary." Arthur opened his mouth to protest. "I'm sure your highness has much to say, and if you wish to say it to me personally, than you'll just have to follow me, if not I have a life to save."

Her men gathered Matthew and she gathered his wife before sweeping out of the street and down towards the infirmary.

_E Pluribus Unum_

Merlin found Will packing a satchel. Merlin looked ready for a fight and that was just as well because that was exactly what Will was looking for.

"Don't bother Merlin. I'm not interested."

"Well, you should be because tomorrow Kanen attacks whether you like it or not we'll have to fight."

"Not if I'm not here."

"That's up to you, but the rest of us are going to stay." Merlin turned to leave, but his love for his friend won out. "Come join us, Will." Merlin said taking long steps up to his friend who stood at the table. He changed tactics. "This isn't about Arthur, this is about your friends and your family. Are you really going to abandon them? Abandon Hermione?"

"What? Like you did?" Will looked at Merlin with nothing short of superiority. "And, Hermione won't stay if I don't."

"I'm here now."

"And I'm staying." The two looked up to see Hermione in the door, radiant despite her anger and sadness.

"No, you're not." Will informed her and continued to pack.

"Yes, I am Will, and there is nothing that will change my mind."

"Hermione, as your husband-"

"But, you're not- are you." Hermione shot back and Will ducked his head unable and unwilling to look at her. "And if you leave, you never will be. This is our home and these are our people. To abandon them to their fate, alone. I never thought so lowly of you. If you choose to leave, I will never see you again, know this." She stalked out of the room.

"See if I care, you witch!" Will yelled after her in anger.

"Come on now, Will." Merlin said putting a comforting hand on Will's shoulder. "You don't mean that."

"I do and you." Will shrugged off the hand. "You, you could end this. If you used your magic no one else would have to die." He continued to pack.

"You know I can't." Merlin whispered feeling helpless against his friend's anger.

"Can't, or won't?" Will asked despite the low blow. At Merlin's silence Will stopped packing, "I'm not the one abandoning these people, Merlin, you are." Will left, presumably to find Hermione and persuade her to leave with him.

_E Pluribus Unum_

"Miss." Hermione looked up from the potion that she was working on and spied Prince Arthur in the open archway of her door.

"Prince Arthur," she wiped her hands on a bit of cloth rag and set it aside. "To what do I owe the honor."

"The way you spoke to me earlier was," he paused, "unacceptable."

Hermione looked at him for a moment before seeming to dismiss him and continued with her work. "I found your work here to be unacceptable."

Arthur was furious. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Simple, Prince Arthur." She fixed him with a glare, "giving men a day or two of sword lessons won't help them. They will likely die when trying to fight like that."

"Oh, really." Arthur replied sarcastically and crossed his arms, "and what do you propose instead?"

Hermione shrugged. "I would fill bits of cloth with spicy powders and have then available to throw into the eyes of an attacker. I would have them learn things with their hands, so that way when- not if, when they are disarmed they can do more than scream and die. Traps work also. If we knew where the camp was, possibly sneak in and ruin the food, water, anything to make their numbers less. A hungry army is an army half beat."

"You live in a fantasy, milady. The odds of those things working."

"Have you tried them?" She wanted to know. "When you are fighting against a larger group it is better to hit hard and fast, and to also lessen or weaken the opposing forces. Tell me that my plan would not work."

Arthur frowned and let his arms drop. "I." He said unsure and Hermione's features softened. Here he was, the prince, scared, uncomfortable, and trying to do his best whilst being verbally attacked.

"Come, sit at the table and I'll fix you some tea."

Arthur thought of protesting, however he found himself seated and soon after a steaming cup of tea was placed in front of him. He blew on the hot liquid in the wooden cup before taking a sip. The taste was strange, not something that he was used to, but soon after his head started to clear and the ache in his head and bones started to lessen.

"What is this?" He asked finally.

Hermione smiled at sat across from him with her own wooden mug. "I gave you chamomile tea with an infusion of willow tree bark. Very good for easing aches and pains."

"You must give me the recipe, I believe that the Court Physician could do wonders with this."

Hermione nodded, "I will before you leave."

They sat in silence.

"I'll have you know that Matthew will pull through." Hermione murmured gazing into her cup. "We were lucky that the arrow missed any major organs. A small fraction in any direction and he would have been beyond my aide."

Arthur stared at her, "surely you're joking. The man was all but dead."

Hermione nodded. "All, but. I will never stop working on someone until I know that there is absolutely no hope. In this case, there was."

Arthur was quiet. "Thank you. I," he paused, "I've never met someone quite like you."

Hermione smiled at him. "You have to learn to forgive yourself, I see it weighing you down, constantly. You will save us all, and you will one day be a great king."

"People keep telling me that, but somehow I never believe them." Arthur stated quietly gazing into his liquid.

"You should, people are here to advice you. The young lady Guinevere has quite a good head on her shoulders. As does Merlin."

"Merlin is anything but brilliant." Arthur chuckled.

"Merlin is a great boy. I'd love to meet the man he was named for." Hermione knew she was risking something with her statement, but she had to. This might be her only chance.

Arthur made a commitment noise and murmured, 'me too' without really hearing the question. They sat in silence, each drinking and thinking until a knock sounded at her door to the outside. Hermione rose and opened the door to see Will.

"You!" Will looked at Arthur with rage in his eyes. "What are you doing here?"

Arthur stared at the man with tired but hard lines, "I am here talking to the mistress Hermione, as if that is any concern of yours."

"It is, seeing as she belongs to me." Will stated pushing out his chest. Arthur stared between the two in slight surprise. Hermione seemed quite intelligent and deliberate, while Will was reckless.

"I belong to no one, William Greenstone." Hermione's voice was firm, if not slightly angry.

"Well, either way, he needs to leave because we need to talk. How dare you say what you did and then just storm out." Will's voice couldn't hide his desperation and Hermione's hear broke.

She turned to Arthur. "If you'll excuse us." She opened the door closest to him and gestured for him to take his leave. Arthur sighed and nodded, determined not to get in the way of a family affair.

Once Arthur had left Will swept Hermione up in his arms and he kissed her so firmly and thoroughly that Hermione had a hard time standing.

"I love you, Hermione. Please, please leave with me. I cannot bear the thought of you becoming injured, or worse." Hermione looked up at Will, her Will.

She knew for all his big talk and all his anger that he loved her, more deeply and with more determination that anyone ever had. "I love you, William. I am yours, I will always be yours. But this is a fight that I cannot run from. I've run too much in my life. I will stand and protect these people, though I do understand your reason to run. If you truly cannot be here, than go with my blessing. I know what fighting brings up in you," she cupped his face, "I know what memories and dreams haunt you at night. I know that you want to stay and fight, just as much as you want to leave." She kissed him. "But, please do not force me to choose between you and the village. My heart could not stand the burden."

Will's breath caught in his chest. This was his lioness. She was beautiful as the dawn and as ferocious as the wildest beast. She had magic, and she had his heart. "I won't make you choose." Will cried as he held her. He had no choice, he had to run. Visions of his father's death plagued him every moment of every day. The thought of watching men battle for their lives. He would be more of a danger to them than an asset.

They kissed again and again, holding each other as if this was the last time. She brought him to the door at last and he swept her into his arms one final time. "I will always love you." He murmured against her hair.

"And I you." Hermione whispered, her heart breaking from the effort.

"Be good." They said together and laughed nostalgically. Finally, they released one another and Will fled with a sorrowful parting glance. Hermione sunk to her knees and mewed in sorrow. Her heart, her Will. At least he would be safe, she could live with that. And when this was finished, he would come back and they would marry.

She took a few more moments to reflect before composing herself and putting a stasis charm on the potion that was brewing. It would take several hours before the next step, however she was unwilling to risk the potion with materials so scarce. Her next stop was to talk with Arthur. She swept out of her home and searched the town for the man. She found him just having finished speaking deeply with Merlin outside of Hunith's house. She eyed the two in their armor before grabbing Arthur and pulling him a side.

"I have a plan." Arthur looked open to the idea and leaned down to her whispering lips. A smile grew on his face and he nodded, they needed some rope it seemed.

_E Pluribus Unum_

Hermione hid out of sight once the battle began. She had given herself the job of providing secret magical support for her fighters, and she was going to do just that. When the fire did not happen according to plan she made to run for the starting point, however Hunith's son got there before she did. The fire began and she breathed a sigh of relief.

The trap worked and the battle began, Hermione threw herself into the melee and chaos, being careful not to use outright battle magic. She could never hide that, but spells of animation and tripping would work just as well against these muggles. With her magic she threw axes, rocks, and anything else that she could against her attackers. She knew that Arthur was suspicious, however that would have to be handled later.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Merlin about to be attacked by a man on horseback she screamed out and reached with her magic. Her fear was alleviated when out of nowhere Will launched himself over a rooftop and knocked the man from his steed. Her attack incapacitated the second horse rider that had come in behind the second one.

She watched as Will raised his stolen mace and brought it down on the man who dared attack his friend. Her breath choked and her vision swam. She had been secretly glad that Will had chosen to leave; she couldn't concentrate when he was in danger. He stole the sword from his fallen opponent and stood. Hermione watched as they exchanged words and then watched the destruction that was happening to their village. Then a surge of raw magic hit her, where had that come from? Wind sprang up and Hermione inched ever closer to Will, determined to reach him.

It was coming from Merlin! No! Hermione's shock consumed her. Could it be that he wasn't named for the sorcerer Merlin, but that he was actually the real and original one? A tornado ripped through the village and she frowned. If he was the real Merlin, than he had a long way to go. This spell was getting out of hand and too many people were getting injured, not just the enemy. It was obvious that this Merlin had lost control.

Hoping against hope that she could stop the destruction and stand toe to toe against a spell created by the Merlin, himself, Hermione held out her hand and whispered, "_Finite Incantatem_". Merlin's spell fought against hers and sweat cascaded from Hermione's being. She bit her lip until it bled and poured all of her power into her spell. The tornado slowly let up before finally disappearing. She was drained and fell forward. Will, noticing her, ran to her aid and brought her slowly back to where Merlin, the Merlin, was standing.

"Are you okay?" He asked concernedly.

Hermione nodded, "Just tired from the battle."

What remained of Kanen's forces fled only to be chased down and finished by the villagers. They had won! Will leaned down and kissed Hermione soundly on the lips, feeling like a new man. He was proud of his efforts, and so was she. Her fears for his safety had been unfounded. And it was all the better that the battle was over, she scarcely had a drop of magic left in her.

Merlin stared around as though frightened by himself. He had lost control of the spell, what had stopped it? Had it merely run out of power? To his knowledge spells like this only gained power once created, so how did it end?

"Pendragon!" Kanen was still here and he stalked forward challenging the prince. A fierce battle commenced between the two leaders and all Merlin, Will, and Hermione could do was stare. Merlin, it seemed, looked relatively unconcerned, believing that his master was more than a match for this hillside bandit. Arthur disarmed Kanen once, only for Kanen to take the sword from the chest of one of his own fallen men and continue fighting. The battle that Hermione was watching must have been something different than what Merlin was watching. Arthur was good, however he had a few close calls that made her wince. In a complicated feinting move Arthur managed to run Kanen through with a smirk of triumph. Nobody should take on the best fighter in Camelot and expect to survive, not when Arthur was intending on killing them.

Kanen fell to his knees and then all the way to the ground in death and Arthur sauntered triumphantly back over to the waiting trio, though before long his body movements turned angry.

"Who did that?" He questioned without mercy.

"What?" Was Merlin's reply.

"Wind like that doesn't just appear like that from no where, and all the other magic. I know magic when I see it." Arthur came to stop in front of the two men. "And I know one of you made it happen."

"Arthur." Merlin said his voice gentle, ready to confess his sins and resign himself for punishment.

Will squeezed Hermione's hand before noticing movement behind the prince. Kanen was sitting and then he swung up a crossbow that had been nearby and shot.

"Look out!" Will cried thrusting himself in front of Arthur and simultaneously shoving the prince from harm's way. There was a heart wrenching thump and Hermione's world shattered and stopped. A bolt stuck out at a horrible angle from Williams chest. Her William. And she with no magic to heal him. Someone was screaming and looking back upon that moment Hermione would realize that it was her. She collapsed to her knees in desperation.

"Will!" Merlin cried and ran to catch his friend.

Arthur knelt by Will and stared at the man as if see him for the first time. "You saved my life." He glanced up and down the man taking an extra long moment when examining the bolt that had been meant for his chest, to end his life. It was deadly at this range, armor or no armor.

Will, in between his gasps of pain spit out. "Yeah, I don't know what I was thinking."

There was a call to get him inside and the men rushed Will to the infirmary. Hunith grabbed Hermione and brought the woman to a standing position before guiding her to the building.

_E Pluribus Unum_

Will glanced up at the prince. "That's twice I've saved you." He was lying in one of the beds in the infirmary.

"Twice?" The prince murmured questioningly, standing over his fallen comrade in arms.

"It was me. I'm the one that used the magic."

"Will, don't." Merlin cautioned his friend.

"It's all right." Will said with a pained grin. "I won't be alive long enough for anyone to do anything to me." He glanced back to the prince, who looked away in shame at Williams words. "I did it. It was me. I saw how desperate things were becoming and I, I had to do something."

"You're a sorcerer." Arthur stated clearly dumbfounded. Will was not the image of a sorcerer that Arthur had built up in his mind. Will was, if not a little hot tempered, normal.

Will laughed. "Yeah, what are you going to do? Kill me?" He laughed again.

"No, of course not." Arthur replied feeling sheepish, is that what people thought of him? He looked up at Merlin. "Do what you can for him." Merlin nodded but did not take his eyes off his oldest and dearest friend.

Merlin and Will shared a brief silent moment as the room cleared.

"I was right about him, you know. I told you he was going to get me killed." Will joked trying to lighten the mood.

"You're not going to die." Merlin protested, wanting to believe his own words. He knew no healing magic, and now his friend was going to die.

"You're a good man, Merlin. A great man. And one day you'll do service to a great king. Now you can still make that happen."

"Thanks to you." Merlin said carding his fingers through his friend's hair, desperate to give comfort.

"It's been boring here without you. It's good to see you again." Will said trying to make amends, their visit together had not been pleasant.

"Likewise." Merlin's eyes prickled with tears and began to overflow.

"Merlin." Will gave a pain filled gasp. "Merlin, I'm scared."

"You needn't be." Merlin soothed, though he knew his words meant nothing.

Will reached out, despite the pain, and grabbed Merlin's hand.

"Hermione." He rasped out. "Take care of Hermione." Merlin nodded.

"Always."

Will nodded in relief and there was a gasp from the door.

Merlin looked up to see Hermione. She wasn't crying, her face blank she simply strode up to Will and glanced at him.

"Will, I." She stated. "Will, I brought someone important to see you." She beckoned behind her. Into the room entered the village's holy man. "I am going to wed you, William." Her words were firm and Will found himself crying.

Will shook his head, "I will not leave you a widow, Hermione."

Hermione took his head in her hands and stared deep into her betrothed's eyes. "I would rather be a widow, than to never have wed you at all." Will looked for a moment as though he would fight her decision, however he relented and allowed the marriage ceremony to proceed with Merlin as witness. Once the rights were completed and more morbidly Will's last rights, Hermione shooed the two others out of the room and held the hands of her beloved.

"You've married, been given your last rights. I supposed you're all set to ship off." Hermione joked sadly, tearing beginning to fall. Will smiled up at her through the pain.

"That's my girl. I love a good joke."

Hermione leaned down and kissed him gently on the mouth.

"I'm sorry." He murmured against her lips. He never thought it was going to happen like this. He always expected them to grow old together. Now he was leaving her out in the world alone.

Hermione shook her head. "I'm sorry that I have no magic left to heal you. I used it all stopping Merlin's spell."

"You knew it was Merlin?" Will asked.

"Yes, I do. If only-" Will shook his head.

"Don't live in 'if onlys' Hermione. I want you to be happy. I want you to find love again." Hermione shook her head violently and Will tutted her. "Don't deny a dying man his last wish."

Hermione could do nothing but nod at his statement and pull him close. She squeezed the absolute last of her magic into a spell that would ease his pain and passing. Will's face relaxed.

"I thought you had no magic." He murmured into her hair.

"That was all I had. I couldn't watch you suffer." Will nodded and enjoyed her touch for the last time.

"I love you, Hermione Granger. My slightly insane wife from the future."

Hermione smiled into his neck, "I love you too, William, my beloved and more insane husband from the past." She clambered into bed with him and held him tightly to her.

"I have never been so happy to have taken your purity from you." He said at last while her head rested on his chest. "To have known your body, to have tasted your flesh. It is the greatest gift anyone has ever given me. And, you were right. I would much rather die with the taste of you on my lips, than to never have had you at all."

Hermione nodded with a sob, she felt the same.

"Goodbye Hermione, I will love you forever- be good." Will whispered. It was how they always ended a day together, 'I will love you forever- be good'.

"I'll love you forever more, be good." She replied back and felt the breath lessen in his chest with each rise and fall. Finally, it was still. The entire village heard the wail of a woman whose heart was broken.

_E Pluribus Unum_

Hermione stared at the pyre, which held the body of her beloved husband. Losing him was the most difficult thing that she had ever encountered. She felt broken and lost. Glancing over at Merlin she knew that he felt the same. As she listened to the conversation between Merlin and Arthur a whirl of anger welled up in her chest at Arthur for bullying and be so unsympathetic, despite his apology for Williams death. She moved in closer as Arthur left, her anger dissipating into depression and sadness.

Hunith had much a similar idea, she moved in and placed her arm to Merlin's arm. "You should get ready to go."

"I don't have to go." Merlin replied staring at the flames that were consuming his oldest and truest friend. His duty, now, was to Hermione. He made a promise.

Hermione shook her head and attached herself to his other side. "Yes, you do."

Merlin looked at her with shock and sadness. "I promised Will I'd look after you. I can't break that."

Hermione nodded, "And you won't. When the time comes you will take care of me, but for right now you have a prince and a kingdom to take care of. Destiny waits for no one."

"But Hermione." She shook her head before leaning it against his shoulder, whether to comfort him or her, she didn't know.

"Conversation has ended Merlin, you have so much more you have to do before coming back here. I won't take 'no' for an answer."

Merlin ended the fight and as the others left the pyre he and Hermione stayed attached to one another sharing in their grief at the lost of one of the greatest men ever.

_E Pluribus Unum_

"You could come with us." Merlin offered as Arthur, Morgana, and Gwen looked on. "I know you'd like the palace, and I could help you find work."

Hermione shook her head with a small smile. "I must stay here and continue my work, the village needs me."

"But," Merlin stopped his sentence as Hermione hugged him fiercely, though surprised he hugged her back with the same fervor. She stepped back.

"Hugging you is almost as good as hugging William." She paused and stared up at her husband's childhood friend. "He really looked upon you as a brother, you know this, correct?" Merlin nodded and couldn't stop the small sob from escaping his chest. "I will be fine, and there is plenty of work to occupy me."

Merlin nodded in defeat, he would have to come back and convince her another time, he would not fail his promise to Will. The three other travelers bid their goodbyes to Hermione, with Arthur and her sharing a powerful look of understanding. She was to look after Hunith in the wake of Will's death and he was to look after Merlin. As the left the village Hermione went back to her infirmary to take care of a still recovering Matthew and to mourn her fallen hero of a husband. She would see them again, she knew that, but for now she needed to remain where she and William had so many happy memories.

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**So sad! When will we see Hermione again? Who knows? I do! Maybe you can guess. Put your guess in a review and if you're right, maybe I will let you in on some sneak peeks! Anywho, hope you enjoyed it! R&R please.**

**Cheers**

**iBless!**


	4. Chapter 4

** . chapter! I've finished up my finals and my graduate assistantship for this year and I am now home. Quite exciting stuff. Bought a new phone because my other one died spectacularly, and have been working on a professional wardrobe. I remember posting that I thought I had the month off, this is not true. I have one more week at home and then I move to Atlanta. That blows, a lot. I was hoping to see family and friends, after being away for the better part of a decade. I hope that you enjoy this chapter, and I am not sure if I am doing this episode in two or three parts yet. If you cannot tell this is Morte De Arthur, or the season finale of season one with the Questing Beast. I hope that you enjoy it!**

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Hermione stepped into Hunith's home and started to clean up the place. Hunith had been slightly ill these past few days and Hermione was determined to help the woman. It had been six months since William's death and Hermione grieved horribly. This being said, Hermione was also stronger than others expected her to be. She was able to attribute it to being used to the loss of war, however her heart refused to mend.

She missed William with an ferocity that she could not equivocate to any loss she had ever suffered, and that was saying a lot. She had allowed her heart to open to that wonderful man, the village's baker, however it was not meant to last. She had hoped, in her grief, that their one time of fornication had left her with child, however that was not the case and she was left with only memories of Will, that and small personal trinkets. Hunith had been helping her, first with the general upkeep of the infirmary, and then again with Hermione's mental well-being. She was now repaying the favor by nursing the poor sick woman, who had been dealing with a mild case of pneumonia.

"Hunith" she called the woman softly as she approached the bed, she hoped that the woman was sleeping soundly having put cushioning charms on the straw mattress yesterday. She pulled back the curtains to see Hunith in the worst state that Hermione had ever seen someone in.

She screamed. She screamed so loudly, in fact, that she attracted the attention of those standing on the street. They burst into the home only to have Hermione come to her senses and usher them out before they saw what lay in their beloved Hunith's bed. She was unsure how the village would react to Hunith's disfigured form, and wasn't going to chance a bad meeting.

A sense of urgency swept over her and she immediately ran back to the infirmary and grabbed every major healing potion she had. It looked as though Hunith had been cursed. A jar slipped out of Hermione's suddenly strengthless fingers. Hunith had been battling a chest cold, pneumonia at most. This looked like someone had cast thousands of boil hexes on her

This was no sickness: it had developed over night. And she knew exactly why Hunith would be targeted for a curse. "Merlin." She whispered.

Her course of action changed and she put back most of the positions and only grabbed strengthening ones and others that would keep Hunith alive through their journey as well as a few odds and ends. She had to take the woman to Camelot, it was the only way. On her way out, on a whim, Hermione grabbed her trusted beaded bag from the chest that she kept it in. She had not thought of her adventures with Harry and Ron in quite a long time, however, she felt as though this might come in handy- something in her gut told her so.

She prepared the villagers for having both their main healers gone, though Matthew was a good step in, and then packed her things to leave that very night. She bartered a decently sized pull cart and set to filling it with cloth and hay. The point was to make it as comfortable as possible. With a final thought, she grabbed a sword and a crossbow and hid them among the rabble.

She always carried a few daggers on her person, it was medieval times after all, and this was only as a precaution. She doubted she would have to use any of the weapons that she was bringing with her. She would rather have them than not have them, however, because she dared not use magic where others might see.

Hermione covered Hunith in a cloak and had the men place the woman in the cart, taking extra care not to show Hunith's drastically changed appearance. The village had no horses to spare, so she had to pull the woman herself. Not ideal, but she would make it happen. Her villagers offered to come with her, to help bear the burden, however Hermione declined. Should she have to resort to magic, it was best not to let anyone see.

Taking one last look at the village Hermione set off as the sun closed down and touched the horizon. Once dark had hit and no village was close by Hermione employed magic to pull the cart, though such a massive spell drained her. The trip usually took two days, however that included stopping to water horses, eat, and sleep. Pouring her power into the wagon Hermione urged it to go faster, hopefully they would be able to make it by dawn. Hopefully.

Hermione cast a lightening charm on the cart as they reached more populated areas, and slowing the cart to a stop, she got out. Something gripped her shirt and Hermione turned around to see Hunith's eyes peeking open. The woman desperately formed the beginning letter of Hermione's name, but she was too weak to speak.

"There, there Hunith." Hermione whispered gripping the woman's hand in hers. "We've still hours of travel ahead of us, you must keep your strength." Hunith closed her eyes and lay back down in the cart. Hermione took the time to feed the woman bits of wet ground oats and make sure that Hunith drank water, though her swollen lips caused the woman pain. The fever that Hermione had been fighting since the beginning of their journey began to set in and Hermione cursed her bad luck. She moved to get away from the cart and begin pulling it when she felt a tug on her dress. Hunith was holding her in one of her small hands. She refused to let go of Hermione and that caused the younger woman to smile. She leaned back against the cart and allowed them to rest for a time. They stood at the edge of the forest, from here it was all farmland and Hermione would have to pull to cart so as to not arouse suspicion.

"We're going to see your son and brother, Hunith." Hermione murmured to the woman wanting to believe that she could hear and understand the words as the woman had faded into unconsciousness. "They will help you, I know they will. Your illness might be beyond my needs, but Merlin is legendary, if there was ever a person to help you- he's it. And he's your son- there's no one on this earth who he loves more. That boy would move the sun and moons if it meant saving you." Hermione gazed up at the sky as it peeked through the leaf filled limbs of the trees, "it's got to work."

They stayed there in quiet reverence for a while longer before Hermione's skin tickled. She had put alarm spells around the cart, approximately 30 meters on each side and something was setting them off. Slowly she turned as if to check on Hunith, but in reality she made sure her sword was tucked at an angle that she could easily grab it.

She tugged at a crossbow that had been hidden under the cart's load and swung it up with no time to aim. She turned and shot as a man raced out of the woods. He died with a scream and she had no more time to load. Throwing it back into the cart Hermione grabbed her sword and turned around to face out from the cart in a guard position.

Her sword was heavy, and if she hadn't worked to build up her arms, it would have been too heavy. It was a hand and a half broadsword that was meant to bite down and tear into her enemies, as opposed to stabbing them like a fencing sword. Two more men came out of the woods and Hermione waded into them, using her sword to keep them at a distance and to serve as an equalizer for her lacking in size. What she wouldn't have given for a pole arm! Those were meant for smaller attackers to take on bigger ones.

The men, robbers with barely a patched shirt between them, grinned at her and she could spy dirty and rotting yellow teeth. "Put down the sword, dearie. Wouldn't want to get hurt." The larger one said as they circled each other. He was clearly the leader of the group and Hermione looked him over. He was large, very large in fact and Hermione felt trepidation. His size consisted not only of height but also of large muscles, most likely created from pillaging and killing.

The other man, she had to watch him. He moved along quietly and had almost perfect balance. He was the true dangerous one, for all of his slender build. She had to deal with the leader first.

There are a few beliefs about warfare and battle that one must understand. Without the presence of a leader, of a commander, an opposing force might break rank and run. Hermione believed in this vision of warfare. If Hermione took out this man, she hoped the other would become spooked and run, not likely, but she was very good at holding onto hope.

Hermione swung out and in, moving her sword into the move called 'Butterfly's Wing'. The man dodged out of her reach, but now held Hermione in new respect. She wasn't going to make this easy for them. She watched him as they circled looking for a tell. A tell is some hesitance, or preemptive movement that signified an attack. There! Hermione saw the large muscle in his left arm bulge, and when he surged his arm forward, she was ready. Parrying the blow she came in under his guard and tried to strike only to feel pain radiating from her right shoulder. She retreated back quickly and assessed the damage. She had forgotten the other man! Curse him! The wound wasn't incredibly deep, though it bled sluggishly and Hermione shook her head. This would not help her efforts, and if she wasn't careful, the wound might cause her death.

She could not use magic in Uther's kingdom, not when someone might see and report back to him. That would mean more than just her death. It would bring trouble to Hunith and to Merlin, and Hermione could not chance that. Unless.

Hermione backed away from the two men before turning and breaking into a run. The bandits laughed at her cowardice before spinning to view their prize: the cart. That was easy picking.

Hermione grab a large stick and a large dagger out of its sheath. It belonged to William's father, and Hermione dreaded having to use it. She wished it had not come to this, however, she felt as though William and his father would forgive her. She had no choice. Placing the two items together, Hermione transmogrified them into a long and steady pole-arm staff with a blade. The staff itself was a firm five feet in length, and the blade was another eighteen inches.. This would fix things. The weapon itself would work as an equalizer with strength, and have the added benefit of keeping her out of close combat.

Sprinting as fast as she cook back to the scene, Hermione crashed through the trees with her newly created weapon. The two men made a noise in surprise and turned around to face her, weapons raised. With her sword strapped to her belt for easy access, Hermione felt ready, confident even, in a way that she had not when she encountered them previously. She, once again, waded into the two men. She used the stick end to keep the slim man at bay and bore down on the leader with the blade in a series of quick chopping motions that made the man back up.

She stabbed inward and upward before reversing her grip and running the blade down swiftly at an angle. She ended the 'Broom Sweeps' move with the satisfying crunch of the blade slicing deeply into the big man's calf muscle. He collapsed, trying to stem the flow of blood and Hermione moved out of his range before turning to face her other attacker.

The other man grinned at her in a way that made Hermione uncomfortable.

**"_Cóm æt me c__ecga."_**

Hermione was unprepared for the spell and had no time to block. Her glaive flew from her hands, and the rest of her weapons flew from their respective sheaths. She was weaponless, and he smirked knowing that she felt helpless. No, she was not helpless. She not only had a sharp sword, but a sharp tongue. If she kept him talking long enough, she could figure out a plan.

"Have you lost your senses?" She questioned as they circled one another. "Or, did you not have any to begin with? To study and perform magic is to court death."

The dark featured man raised a single thin eyebrow at her. "Only if you get caught." He smirked at her and then bragged, "And I know on good authority that no patrols are happening right now. Every person is in the capital awaiting the death of their beloved prince." He spat 'prince' out as though the word was poison.

Hermione's heart stopped. Arthur was in trouble. Could it be that he was under the same spell as Hunith? She had to get to him. She had to use magic, despite the risks. Her wand was not near her, it was currently hidden in the cart, and so she had to resort to wandless magic.

"Oh, well. In that case." Hermione replied back, trying to keep his anger up and his attention down, before her eyes flashed gold. The man was blown back into a tree with a hard 'thump'. She checked to make sure that he was unconscious and then robbed him blind of all his valuable possessions. There weren't enough to go around in Ealdor to leave anything behind that could be of use later on. Besides, if she left them with weapons they would only rob the next group of travelers. She placed the items back in her cart and was assured to see that Hunith had slept through the entire encounter. Leaning back from the cart, her shoulder gave a tight pull and her head swam at the blood loss.

With her task done she turned back around to face the man she had injured first and took a few steps towards him. He stared at her with sweat dripping from his form from both fear and pain. Upon taking in his appearance Hermione sighed and walked back to the cart. Routing around until she found a small enough piece of some excess cloth she tucked it under her hurt arm and then moved to her bags. From there she selected an anti-bacterial solution and a muscle mending one. Closing her kits back up, Hermione spells her hands, now with her wand, against disease and then sanitized them. She came back around the cart to where the battle took place and stepped towards the large man.

"If you're going to kill me, than kill me." The man said stonily and stared up at Hermione, determined to meet his end as honorably as a crook could. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"I don't kill a man in cold blood. And I won't let you die of leg rot, for that is a fate that I would not wish on anyone." That was not entirely true, however Hermione refused to think of those who she would actually wish it on. She crouched down in front of him and the man feebly tried to push away from the woman, scrambling at the dirt.

"You lie!" Despite his attempt at a cool demeanor Hermione saw the white around his eyes and felt a lick of compassion.

"You have on my honor that I will not harm you. Now, either you let me help, or you'll die."

They stared at each other for a few long moments, neither one backing down, before the man leaned back hesitantly. "Aye."

For good measure Hermione silently 'accioed' all of the man's weapons before setting to work.

"And no funny business or I'll leave you to die of your wounds. And you will die." The man nodded and Hermione briskly opened up the anti-bacterial liquid and soaked a piece of the fabric in it.

She grabbed his leg gently and wrinkled her nose at the awful smell. Even for medieval men, his lack of hygiene was extraordinary. It was at a level that she could barely stand. Her guess, was that they were poor men who didn't have anything. She glanced over their clothes and weapons. These were not highway robbers who were glorious pillagers. They were poor and starving. This solidified Hermione's urge to help. Twisting the limb side to side, she pushed his hands away as they reached out to stop the handling, Hermione sighed. She had done a number on this guy, she had sliced through almost every muscle and tendon on the backside of the calf.

"You'll never walk again if I don't fix this." She murmured more to herself than to him and added a few more drops of the anti-bacterial for good measure- his entire body could use it. Disgusting.

"I'm sorry." She apologized quickly before placing the rag to the deep wound. The road and the surrounding areas as filled with an agonized howl and Hermione winced as the sound exploded into her ears.

"I thought you promised no harm." The man growled out and moved to grab her hands again. She slapped his away with the ease of long practice, and continued to pat the wound with her concoction. She would need to leave some with him, he would never be able to keep the wound clean otherwise.

"I am not attacking you-"

"Says who." The man grumbled and Hermione's eye twitched with both frustration and amusement, it seemed as though the man still had some fire despite the injury.

"I am clearing the wound of bacteria, to prevent the onset of infection. Would you rather your leg rot off?" She snapped at him and the man stared at her, but otherwise kept quiet. She finished her work and tucked away the rags to be burned later. Taking more clothe she wrapped the wound with expertise and passed the man a small wooden container of muscle regrowth potion.

"Take that and you'll heal up nicely." He looked at the potion dubiously, though he did reach for it. "You've trusted me thus far, now drink I haven't the time for this." The man gave her one last final stare before tipping the drink back and taking it with a grimace.

"You could work on the taste a bit."

"And you can work on not robbing people." Hermione replied snippily before gathering up her things, his voice stopped her when she turned away from him.

"You're injured."

"Yes, I believe your friend over there attacked me behind my back." She put things back in their proper places with a sigh and fished out a small corked traveling container. She filled it with the anti-bacterial liquid and wrapped a cloth around it. She tossed it into the air and he caught it with surprise, almost dropping the parcel.

"Twice daily on your leg, and make sure to change the bandages."

With a sarcastic salute to the still unconscious man and the injured leader she began to pull the cart down the road. Thankfully it was magically lightened.

"Milady." The man's voice stopped her a final time. She didn't turn, but dipped her head in indication that she had heard him.

"You're noble. Gods all bless you."

She once again started her cart pulling and did not bother to look back. Hopefully, he would turn over a new leaf. She doubted it, but she could always dream. The skirmish had taken place on the bottom of a large hill. With a whine she stopped and stared up at the incline. Feeling her resolve harden, Hermione gave a grunt and continued to pull. Even with the spell she had difficulty with the big cart and the even bigger hill. Screw hills, useless bloody things- all of them. With their stupid incorrigible inclines and their stupid cheeky bluffs, where it made you think that you had reached the top but- no! There was more! In her bad temper, Hermione grumbled.

She pulled it through villages and towns where people peeked out windows and through the cracks in doors, but otherwise left her alone. They are so fearful, she wondered to herself, wanting to know the reason. It was as though they were expecting some kind of bad omen to come through. The streets were all silent, even the animals refused to make noise at her passing.

She made it to Camelot by dawn and allowed her cart to be searched. For good measure she told the guards about the weapons that she had taken from the bandits and allowed them to be taken into custody for evidence, after all they were barely swords at all. More like thin pieces of metal that had been sharpened too many times. It was with their help that she was able to get Hunith to Gaius' quarters, though they left her there at her insistence.

The castle was a myriad of twists and turns of marble and hard stone. Hermione was unsure that she liked this place- it seemed so filled with gloom and the depression overwhelmed all of her senses. It was as though the city was waiting, holding its baited breath and waiting for the pin to drop.

In a way, she supposed, the pin was about it. If Prince Arthur was indeed ill, than the heir to the throne and thus the kingdom was unassured.

By the time that Hermione and Hunith was through the door to her brother's chambers the wound in her shoulder was one solid ache, and the pain had spread throughout her back and side. She had stopped pulling the cart at one point and wrapped the wound in cloth in order to stem the flow of blood. This was no longer working, and she had bled through the makeshift bandage. It didn't help that she was soaked to the bone by the freak thunder and lightning storm that had started sometime during their travels.

Frankly, Hermione was exhausted both magically and physically, or she would have attempted to fix the wound herself. How she would have aimed her wand at a spot she couldn't see, would have to be solved at another time. Setting Hunith down on the floor she waved the guards away and out of the room before taking a step towards the sleeping areas. The room swam and bowed before her eyes and she stumbled in her step. Tripping on the uneven stone floor Hermione reached out for the table to steady her and in her confusion, missed.

She collapsed to the ground harshly and landed on a few buckets and as well as turning over the table bench. Everything clattered loudly as they hit the floor, but Hermione paid them no notice. She was fighting with every piece of her being to stay awake, for Hunith, for herself. She couldn't and, finally, she slept.

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**Tell me what you think and how you've been liking this story so far. Pretty please? Help me maintain my good faith in reviewers! I apologize that it is a wee bit short, however I am in the process of moving from Maine to Massachusetts to Georgia all in the span of three short weeks.  
**

**Cheers!**

**iBless!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Another medium length endeavor! I am trying to do episodes in either two or three chapters, and that is why this is a little on the short side. I wanted to do this in three, because of the perfect final line. For those who have already read ch 4, and did not read it approximately a half hour ago (So at about 0100 Romeo time, or 1am for those who don't use a 24hr clock) I would suggest going back and rereading. I have changed it slightly, and definitely for the better. This chapter was a bit hard to read, and has a bit of self loathing. I think that Merlin hides it very well, however he does slightly hate himself. It's only natural, after all. So, anywhere cheers, here's part two, and I officially have (including today) 13 days until I move down south to work at a art school. So much to do! So little time! Hopefully the next chapter will be up later on today, or in the wee hours of Saturday morning. Anyway, long Author's note. Cheers!**

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Merlin awoke the day after his sacrifice surprised. He was not supposed to be waking up- he was supposed to be dead. How did this happen? In his hand he clutched the rabbit's foot. Had this little trinket saved him? Well, that just meant that today was extra special, a new lease on life. Merlin smiled up at the sun that danced upon his walls from the window high on the sidewall of his chamber. Today was a great day. He had to tell Gaius!

Merlin sprung from his bed and dressed quickly before splashing his face with water from his small washing pot and then ran from his room filled with light and spirit.

"Gaius! I'm alive!" Merlin cried gayfully before noticing Gaius crouching over a figure in the doorway. A bench had been overturned and several other things displaced. "What happened?" The young man asked in concern moving forward.

"Merlin, stay there." Something in Gaius' tone made Merlin queasy. He didn't like it, not one bit.

"What's wrong?" Merlin asked more forcefully coming towards the two figures on the floor.

"No, don't." Merlin refused to heed this warning and finished crossing the distance. What he saw shocked him. The woman. His mother. She was terribly ill- her face! Her body! Covered in boils. "Mother." He cried weakly, feeling desperate with shock. He crouched to his knees and saw his mother's eyes flutter open.

"Merlin." The woman murmured reaching a hand for her son.

"What's happened to her?" Merlin asked Gaius, horrified at today's turn of events- today was most certainly not a great day. It was not even a good day, how foolish had he been to believe that?

"She is gravely ill."

"Do something!" There was no living in this world without his mother. She had bore him, dressed him, raised him, and when it came time she sent him away- to protect him. Merlin needed his mother like he needed no other person.

"If I could."

"Please Gaius." Merlin begged.

"This is no ordinary illness."

"This cannot happen." Merlin murmured, staring at his mother. He would stop this. He would put a stopper in death.

"Who did you meet at the Isle of the Blessed?" Gaius asked cautiously, afraid that he knew what the answer was going to be, or rather who the answer was going to be.

"Nimweh." Merlin answered, his eyes still fixated on his mother's prone form.

"Nimweh." Gaius repeated almost questioningly, hoping that maybe it was possible that he had misheard, and that his fears had not come true.

"It was as you said, she demanded a price, but I bargained my life, not my mother's." Merlin said in anger, at Nimweh and at himself. How foolish had he been to listen to her? To expect that his deal had been taken on his terms.

"Merlin, " Gaius replied, at last. "I wish that there was something that I could do."

Merlin took up his mother's hand and held it as though it was made of the finest china. "I will make you better." He promised her. "I will." He had a meeting to attend and a conversation to have. With a dragon. Merlin swiftly helped Gaius remove his mother from the floor and place her in his bedchamber before heading out of the infirmary.

Once he had left Gaius helped Hunith drink some fortifying potions, and one to help her sleep before checking on his other patient. A girl, most curious, had lying just beyond Hunith when Gaius had found them. Not a girl, he imagined, not really in any case, more like a young lady.

She was quite attractive, if not slightly odd by the voluminous size of her hair. She had been injured, and by the looks of it, a sword was to blame. She had applied a bandage, if you could call it that, to her wound, but had otherwise not cared for it. He, now, turned her over as she slept on his cot, and pulled back the shoulder of the gown he had changed her into. One isn't bashful when he is a physician. Taking a pair of tweezers off of the stand near the bed, Gaius began to pick loose bits of cloth and stray strands of thread from the wound. Each careful pinch and pull was punctuated by a frown and a shake of the head.

"A bandage in deed." He murmured in contempt as he finished this project and rebandaged the area. She had developed a slight fever, no doubt caused by an infection from the blade, but nothing that he couldn't manage. He brewed her some willow bark tea mixed with honey and began to coax it down the girl's throat. Her features eased and Gaius could not deny the small smile from crossing his face. Her face twitched and Gaius held his breath as eye lashes fluttered and opened to reveal two warm brown eyes. That surprised him, most of the people in this part of the world had blue eyes.

"You're awake." He murmured to her gently, putting down the cup and clasping his hands in front of his knees, as he sat on the stool.

"I am awake." She agreed in reply and tried to force herself to sit up."

"No, no!" Gaius exclaimed in alarm and gently pressed her back down on to the bed, one of the softest in the castle, if he could boast. "You're quite injured, and you are running a fever." He paused. "Your bandage had me pulling out threads for quite some time. Pitiful effort." He couldn't help himself from reprimanding the young woman.

"There was no time." She murmured eyes taking on a far-away look. "I had to get Hunith here, she's sick. Hunith!" The last word was said loudly and the girl once again launched herself up off the bed.

With the patience that only an experienced healer could have, Gaius once again pushed the young woman down. "Hunith is currently resting. You got her here safely."

She seemed to relax. "I had to get her to Merlin. He's seen her, hasn't he?" She questioned and Gaius fixed her with a pointed look.

"And why would Hunith need to see Merlin?" He questioned.

The young woman blinked, and Gaius would have not caught a fierce look of intelligence and understanding that passed through her features, had he not been paying attention. It was gone before he was even sure it existed. "Merlin is Hunith's son. If she was going to die, then I wanted them to see each other one more time."

Gaius nodded, not without suspicion. "And, who might you be, that you care so much for Hunith. Not that I mind, I am her brother, after all."

The woman smiled a small, but still sad, smile up at Gaius, and his heart lurched unexpectedly. "I am Hermione Greenstone of Ealdor."

"Greenstone, Greenstone, Greenstone." Gaius murmured over and over trying to figure out where he had heard the name, a candle lit in his brain.

"You must be related Wiltiam Greenstone of Ealdor." Gaius slapped his knee. "I was friends with him in my youth, living in Ealdor."

Hermione frowned at the man's obvious happiness. "I apologize to be the one to break such unfortunate news to you, however Wiltiam passed away some time ago. He died fighting as a soldier for King Cenrad."

Gaius' happiness evaporated. He had been a good man. He lost his wife in childbirth to their younger son, William. "And William? I suppose that you are his?" Gaius left the matter hanging.

"Wife." Hermione answered slowly, sadly, Gaius noted. "William passed away, just over six months ago."

Gaius' heart stopped. "Does Merlin know?" He asked, Hunith had written once that Merlin had become good friends with Wiltiam's young son.

Hermione nodded, "Merlin was present for William's death, I'm afraid. I should like to see how he's fairing."

Gaius made a noise of surprise. "I haven't heard anything of this. No one told me anything, of what transpired in Merlin's fateful trip to Ealdor- only that the bandit force had been eradicated." Gaius grabbed Hermione's hand. "And you, how are you fairing?"

Hermione looked away, but made no move to remove her hand. "I am fairing as well as any person could. William was my reason for living. At first it felt like the light had been removed from my life." She paused, "and now. I am recovering. My heart aches, but I have too much responsibility to let myself be waylaid by it."

"Children?" Gaius asked.

Hermione shook her head. "There wasn't time. I." She paused. "I married William on his deathbed. I would rather be his widow, than never having been his wife." She paused again, trying to regain her composure and Gaius marveled at her strength and courage. "I am the village school teacher and physician."

"Physician." Gaius repeated in surprise and delight. "That is my trade."

Hermione smiled up at the man. "I know, Hunith speaks very highly of you."

The mention of Hunith brought back Gaius' depression, which he had been trying to keep at bay. "Than you know that we can do nothing."

Hermione nodded. "Nothing short of a miracle could save Hunith now." Was that a special tone that she had just used? No, Gaius had to be mistaken.

He nodded. "Yes, we need a miracle." He patted her hand and stood. Moving to his table to begin his daily regiment of potions making Gaius called out to Hermione. "Tell me while I do my day's labor, how you became injured." Hermione laughed and pushed her fingers around on the blanket.

"Oh, you don't really want to hear the story." Hermione replied and Gaius shook his head.

"I am truly, quite curious. Please, indulge an old man in his curiosities." Hermione smiled in defeat and began to tell Gaius the story of the three bandits who attacked her and Hunith on the long road to Camelot.

_E Pluribus Unum_

It was dark when Merlin returned to Gaius' chambers and he opened the door to find Gaius seated at the table with a person whose back was turned to the door. The laughter he had previously heard stopped.

"Where is she?" Merlin asked, ignoring the other person.

"Merlin." Gaius began and lifted a hand to gesture to the person, a woman, Merlin noted in the low light. She turned and Merlin was left breathless, as well as speechless. It was Hermione. She looked pale, he could tell even in the flickering candle light, and her skin seemed slightly clammy. Nonetheless she was still radiant as the sun, he could not have agreed with Will's words more. William. He should not be having these thoughts about William's wife.

"Hermione." Merlin murmured taking steps towards her, despite his inner dialogues. She smiled at him and stood from the table. They met in the middle between the door and the table and Merlin hesitated a moment before allowing himself to hug her furiously.

"Merlin." Gaius called out in a warning tone, but Merlin did not hear him and hugged Hermione harder than before, wishing for her comfort, and for her to be his. She shuddered in his arms and let out a sound of deep pain. Merlin released her at once.

"Hermione?" He questioned looking deep into her face, trying to find the source of her discomfort.

"Hermione was injured, protecting your mother on the long journey here." Gaius answered for her and Merlin stared at his mentor, missing the glare that Hermione shot at the meddling old man. "They were attacked by bandits."

"Bandits!" Merlin cried in shock and fear.

"Hermione defeated them, however one managed to injure her with a sword."

"A sword." Merlin murmured, not caring that he seemed to only manage repeating the words of others right now.

Hermione moved back into Merlin's arms of her own accord and pressed her face to his shirt. A shock ran through him as a small portion of her forehead managed to touch the bare portion of his clavicle left exposed when his neckerchief moved. More gently this time, Merlin wound his arms back around her frame and felt the young woman's body shake with sobs.

He did not ask why she cried, he simply understood. She cried because she had been scared and injured, she cried because Hunith was sick and dying and she was helpless, and she was crying because she missed William, and Merlin knew that he reminded her of her beloved departed husband. Merlin understood all those things and held her, rocking her from side to side. He didn't bother to shush her, Merlin suspected that she hadn't allowed herself to cry since the day of Will's death.

Once she had cried herself out, and calmed she took a step back and gave a watery laugh. "Look what I did." She wiped one eye with her sleeve, and then the other. "I mussed up your shirt and neckerchief."

Merlin smiled boyishly down at her. "It's all right. You need a cry, and I needed the shower." They laughed slightly before their spirits dimmed as reality set in. Hermione removed herself completely from his grasp, and Merlin mourned the lack of warmth. In light of the situations, he could have used a hug as well.

"Come now, Hermione." Gaius was behind her and placed a gentle hand on the bend of her elbow. "I need to give you your medication, and then get you to sleep. Your injury won't heal itself, you know." Hermione nodded, ever the good patient and allowed herself to be cared for by Gaius and then put to sleep after taking a strong sleeping draught.

"Merlin." She called sleepily from her bed and Merlin rose from where he had taken a seat on the table bench. In an instant he was seated on the stool by her bedside and had clasped one of her hand in his. "Thank you." She murmured before moving her head in a beckoning way that made Merlin lean close. His face flushed from the proximity. "Save her," she whispered in his ear once he was close enough, "I know you can." With that she was asleep and Merlin was stunned.

Surely, she didn't know that he had magic. It was most likely the murmurings caused by the sleeping potion. Merlin allowed himself to feel the warmth of her fingers for a few more seconds before releasing them. He would never have her, further he should never have her. He had let William die. If he had just studied, listened to Gaius, and applied himself to learning how to heal, her husband would still be alive.

Unable to help himself, Merlin kissed Hermione's forehead before releasing her hand and tucking her further under the bed covers. Gaius sat at the table and pretended to have not noticed that tender moment and further it was not his place. They pulled up their chairs close to each other and sat. Hermione's words repeated over and over like a mantra in Merlin's head, and in his heart. 'Save her, I know you can. Save her, I know you can.'

"I have to save her." He whispered to Gaius was resolution.

Gaius looked down at his charge warily. "You cannot."

Merlin's eyes burned with unshed tears. "If the balance of the world needs a life, then Nimweh must take mine."

"No, Merlin." Gaius' tone left no room for argument.

"Yes." Merlin stood, unable and unwilling to listen to the words of his guardian. His mother needed to live, Hermione was counting on him. "I'll return to the island."

Gaius grabbed him by the pant leg and pulled Merlin back down onto his seat. "You are young." He stated firmly, fixing Merlin with a hard glance. "Your gifts, your destiny are far too precious to sacrifice."

"My destiny." Merlin murmured, feeling betrayed. Hadn't he already sacrificed one life for his destiny? Hadn't Will died because Merlin had been too cowardly to use his magic openly? "This is my mother." He would not let any one else sacrifice themselves for his supposed destiny. "My powers mean nothing if I cannot save her." He had to; it was his final chance to right a wrong, to pay the debt that he owed to Hermione.

Merlin's heart ached from Gaius. Gaius who had taken care of him, taught him, and protected him. Merlin never knew his father, and further he almost felt like he didn't need to, because no father would be worth as much as Gaius. He loved Gaius far more than he loved himself. "Gaius." He said finally, tilting his head in affection. "You have taught me so much."

"You've taught me who I am. Taught me the purpose for my skills. Taught me that magic should only be used for great deeds. But, most of all, you taught me that you should always to do what is right."

For the second time in one day Gaius' heart broke. Merlin, his charge, cared for him so deeply. Gaius at once felt that his life had been fulfilled. He had always wished that God or any power, had granted him a son. Only now, did he realize, that they had in fact, done that. In the form of his nephew, Merlin. Merlin began to cry and Gaius made a decision. No, Merlin would not die- and neither would Hunith.

"I need to go say goodbye to Arthur." Merlin stood from his seat and placed a hand on Gaius' shoulder, and then left. Gaius sat alone, staring into the fire that warmed his chambers and mulled over his decision. It was the right one. The world needed Merlin, and this was an easy sacrifice.

Any parent would willingly sacrifice their life, in the place of their child's.

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**What did you think? Love it? Hate it? Want more of it? Let me know, review and keep me motivated to update despite my crazy schedule.**

**Cheers,**

**iBless!**


	6. Chapter 6

**This chapter just wouldn't stop writing itself. And, boy did it get big. I've been doing so well getting things ready for the big move down to Atlanta, that I thought I would treat you guys to this really long chapter. I almost made it two, but I thought that it would be cruel leaving you with a cliff hanger. So, here it is. And this chapter really requires reviews, I am being completely serious, because so much of what happens coming up depends on your input. With that in mind- enjoy!**

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When Merlin returned he could not stop himself from going and sitting with Hermione. Lifting a hand, he trailed it gently upon her features, and in her sleep she leaned into him. She nuzzled his hand slightly and Merlin felt a small smile grow and blossom onto his features. If only he had, had more time. Time to draw her from her sorrow, to be the person who would forever cause her happiness. He would be that person. Would have been that person. A frown marred his features.

He had to right this wrong he had to save his mother From her letters he could see how much the two women cared for each other, and how much his mother meant to Hermione. He could not let them be parted from each other, so soon after Will's death.

"I love you, Hermione Greenstone. Though, you'll never know it. Love is powerful, love at first sight even more so." He murmured to the unconscious girl as he ran his fingers through her hair, over and over again. Savoring that feeling. At least he could die knowing that he had felt some part of her, held her when she cried.

Giving in to a moment of weakness, Merlin leaned down and kissed the top of her head, then her forehead. He hesitated and then committed himself to his decision. Hesitantly, he pressed his lips to hers. It was not his first kiss, Milliana, a merchant's daughter had taken that honor. However, no other kiss had ever meant so much to him. Her lips were as soft as rose petals.

Merlin held his breath and stayed there for a moment, wishing this were real. Wishing that she felt the same. Better that she didn't. Or, she would just be losing another person, and Merlin could not live with that.

Yes, better that she never knew. Merlin lifted his lips away from hers, still relishing in the feeling and heard a small gasp from the door to his chambers. Out of the corner of his eye, Merlin noticed movement, but didn't rise from his position. He would deal with whoever that was in a moment, but for right now he was saying his last goodbyes.

Merlin stayed quiet with his thoughts for a few more minutes, just holding her hand and reveling in the smoothness of her skin, and the beauty of her person- both inside and out. What life would have been like with her? With a sigh, Merlin brought her hand to his lips and kissed it tenderly before releasing it back down and standing. He stretched, for having sat so long, and then moved to investigate the person occupying his chambers.

He entered through the door to see Gwen seated by his mother's bedside, the room was lit by strong candlelight. "Gaius had to go and get some supplies. He asked me to keep an eye on her until you got back."

"Thank you." Merlin said with feeling. It was nice that his mother had not been alone.

"I'm sorry." Gwen said, standing and making his way over to Merlin, intending comfort.

"No, she'll get better." Merlin replied, and she would- once he died. Gwen looked at him with such sadness.

"I've tried to make her feel comfortable." There was his mother's haggard breath, and Merlin's chest tightened. Here was Gwen, taking time out of her already such a long day, to do this for Merlin. He smiled a small smile at his longtime friend.

"You've such a good heart, Gwen." If he was keeping up with his heartfelt goodbyes, Gwen was surely next on his list. "Don't ever lose that."

Gwen looked like she wanted to say something, like she wanted to question his words, but thought better of it and moved to the door of the room. Merlin walked past her to his mother's bedside. Gwen exited the room and quickly stepped down the small set of stairs before sweeping across the room to examine who Merlin had been kissing.

He had definitely been kissing, that was no doubt, however Gwen had not a clue as to who that might be. As far as she knew, he was not romantically involved with anyone. Coming to stand above the cot Gwen's breath caught in her chest, and her confusion mounted. This was Hermione, the physician from Ealdor. This was Will's wife. Had they become romantic with each other after his death? She cast a look at the door to where Merlin sat before hurrying to the exit and leaving.

Back in the bedchamber Merlin sat by the bedside of his mother. Her eyes fluttered and opened and Merlin smiled at the beloved woman.

"I'll make you better again, you'll see." His mother laughed slightly, she didn't need to get well. Seeing her son was good enough.

"You're such a good son." She murmured as loudly as she could.

"But I don't want you to worry about me." Merlin reasoned with her. "I know that the Gods will look after me. And that one day, we will see each other again."

"I'll miss you." His mother replied, thinking that it was she who was going to die, and not her son.

Merlin rocked back and forth anxiously, it felt as though he was lying to his mother. "I'll miss you too." An idea struck him and Merlin reached and then felt around in his pocket coats until he found what he was looking for. The rabbit's foot. Maybe it would bring her luck, in a way that it hadn't for him. Maybe, Merlin wondered, that he had used up all the foot's possible bad luck, leaving only good luck for his mother. He pressed the foot into his mother's hand and the left to go and sleep in the spare rooms located in the servant's quarters.

Gaius woke Hermione up early in the morning and fed her breakfast and her necessary regiment of potions. "Hermione." He started and then stopped. She looked up at him from where she sat, reading some of his books and cast a small smile at him.

"What is it, Gaius?" She questioned and closed the book.

"I am leaving." He said at last. "I do not believe that you will ever see me again."

Hermione paused and watched him calculatingly before tossing her chips in. "You are going to sacrifice yourself."

Gaius' mouth opened and closed several times before finally finding his words again. "And, what would you know of such things?"

Hermione shrugged and pushed the book away from her before standing and making her way over to where her belongings had been stored. "I know a great deal more than you would think."

"Are you a sorceress?" Gaius questioned, following her. "A practitioner of the old religion?"

Hermione bobbed her head back and forth contemplating her answer and winced as the movement pulled on her wound. "A sorceress? Yes, I am. Practitioner of the old religion? No. You can say that my form of magic is vastly different from yours."

Gaius pulled a chair up and sat next to the girl as she routed through her belongings. "How so?"

Hermione paused her movements before continuing, "I went to a school which taught magic."

"A school for magic?" Gaius asked in bewilderment. He was partially delighted that there was a school for these individuals who would otherwise look at their powers with fear. He was also partially wrought with fear, should Uther ever find out.

Hermione made a 'm'hm' sound before continuing, unaware of Gaius' inner dialogue. "If you are found to have magic, then you get invited to study there starting at the age of eleven. You stay there until you are seventeen."

"Why have I never heard of this before?" Gaius questioned and watched as Hermione found a peculiarly shaped and oiled piece of wood.

"It is hidden." Hermione replied. "We live in secret so that no one will use or abuse us."

"Could you take Merlin?" Gaius asked hopefully.

Hermione glanced sharply at the man before turning. "I am going to pretend that I did not hear you mentioning your nephew and anything to do with magic. Plausible deniability for later. And no, Merlin is too old. His destiny is here, with Arthur." She looked up at Gaius before saying, "Now you answer my questions. Tell me everything about Hunith's illness, how it was created, and how you plan to stop it."

Gaius looked like he was weighing his options, which he was, before finally relenting and sharing the tale of the Questing Beast with Hermione. When he finished the tale, and the explanation that he would go and sacrifice his life in Merlin's stead, in order to spare Hunith Hermione frowned.

"I cannot help you." She said at last and gazed up the stairs to the chamber where she knew Hunith was resting. "However, I do have something that will keep Hunith alive until this whole business can be sorted out."

Gaius looked startled, but indeed interested. His biggest fear was that Hunith would die before he had the chance to right this travesty. Hermione made a movement with her stick and mumbled a phrase at a strangely beaded bag. The stitching, he noted was unlike any he had encountered before, so tiny and so uniform. It would have left the royal seamstress limp with envy.

A few decidingly ill-placed sounds- why would there be a gong in a bag? Gave way to something dark flying out of the bag with extreme force. Gaius stared back and forth between the bag and the clock. The cloak was far too big to have fit in the bag. "This, " Hermione started, "is an invisibility cloak." She shook it out and turned it first one way and then the other. Gaius nearly fell off his chair when he saw that when turned one way it was solid and black, and then once turned in the other direction, the cloak vanished!

"My word." He murmured and reached a hand out. Hermione allowed the older man to take the fabric and examine in.

"It was created as the ultimate way to cheat death. Legend says that if you hide beneath it, even death itself cannot see you."

"A way to cheat death." Gaius whispered in awe. Hermione nodded and allowed Gaius to help her to a standing position before they both went to Hunith's room. She smiled weakly up at that, and Hermione did not hesitate before grabbing the woman's hand. She had been all but a blood mother to Hermione since her arrival, and she knew what she owed to the woman, how much she owed- it could never be repaid.

Gaius held Hunith's other hand and sat on the side of the bed. "Hunith." He called to her gently and she turned her face to watch his. "You will most likely never see me again." He stated without pomp and circumstance. Hunith nodded at him and gave his fingers a gentle squeeze.

"I love you Gaius." Hunith murmured gently and Gaius leaned forward to place a kiss on his younger sibling's forehead.

"I love you too, Hunith." Gaius began to cry silently. He knew that this was the right decision. Hunith was the youngest sibling in their family, they were over a decade apart in age, and yet she had always been his favorite. Her fire and her kindness set her apart from all other people. He would do anything for her, and for Merlin. So, this was not nearly as hard of a decision as it could have been.

When the goodbyes had finally finished, Gaius supplied a sleeping draught and had Hunith drink it with Hermione's help. The three of them sat silently, holding both of Hunith's hands, until the woman was peacefully asleep. "I'll watch over her, Gaius." Hermione comforted as she placed the invisibility cloak over the woman, making sure to tuck it completely over the sleeping body.

"And Merlin?" Gaius questioned.

Hermione nodded. "And Merlin." She smiled sadly. "Funny, Merlin promised William that he would take care of me. And, now I am promising you that I will take care of him." She laughed. "I suppose it is coming full circle." She left the chamber and Gaius was left to stare after her.

"Or, it may be that you two were meant to care for each other." With a shake of his head, Gaius followed the witch down into the main part of his suite of rooms.

They quickly packed the necessary bags for Gaius and Hermione went and fetched a stable hand to ready Gaius' horse. On her way back to the infirmary Hermione stumbled into someone as she rounded a corner. Hermione's vision flashed with Harry's face.

"Hermione." A startled male voice sounded and Hermione found herself staring up into the very blue eyes of Prince Arthur.

"Your Highness." She greeted in a murmur whilst dropping to a slight curtsey, not even a fraction lower than protocol demanded of her and Arthur's smile widened.

"Your highness?" He questioned with a joking tone in his voice. "What happened to the spitfire of a girl I met in Ealdor? You would sooner have dumped a bucket of water over my head, than act like I was a prince."

Hermione scowled at him. "And I still might._ I_ was being polite."

"There she is!" He almost crowed and clapped her firmly on the shoulder. "I have missed someone who challenges me, as much as you do." He paused and his features took on that of worry, "Though, come to think of it Merlin was acting a bit like you last night. He called me a prat."

"You are a prat." Hermione replied with a quick smile before frowning. "I believe that Merlin is not feeling himself as of late. His mother is on her death bed."

Arthur's expression of shock and worry warmed Hermione's heart- he did care for Merlin. "Why is he not with her?"

"He is with her." Hermione replied. "She is here, in the castle. I brought her here via a cart, to say her goodbyes."

Arthur nodded absently. "Why hadn't Merlin informed me of this? I would have gladly granted off any time that he needed."

Hermione shrugged. "I believe that he is coping by keeping himself busy. And," she paused hesitantly, "If I may say. I believe that Merlin might be speaking out of place with you, as a reflection of his own mortality." She quickly amended herself. "He is wondering what he should say to people, should he be the one to die, instead of his mother."

"I understand that." Arthur said. He had often wondered what to say to people, and when. If they would know how he felt should he pass away. "His actions ring a bit more clearly now." Arthur paused again. "I didn't realize that he cared so deeply for me." He said the last part lowly, obviously not expecting anyone to hear his realization.

"He often stood up for you to William." Hermione answered. "He's your man, through and through, never forget that."

Arthur scoffed. "As if I could. Merlin must never learn this, but I've never had anyone in my service who was more loyal."

Hermione nodded and crossed her heart with a delicate finger. "I shan't breathe a word of this to anyone." They made eye contact and Hermione smiled and said slowly, "especially Merlin."

Arthur nodded and righted his tunic as if shrugging off and hiding his overly sentimental feelings. "Good. Now, then since that is settled, care to join me for an early lunch?"

Hermione smiled at him and shook his head. "I am needed by Hunith's side right now."

Arthur's facial expression faltered, he looked both sheepish and sad. "Right. Too true. Your place is with Hunith right now, my mistake. Maybe another time." He replied diplomatically before giving a stiff upper body bow and stepping around her to continue his pace through the castle.

Hermione gave a quiet chuckle at Arthur's uncaring nobleman's act before continuing on her journey. He hated to be seen as weak and sympathetic, especially to a commoner, however only a blind man could not see the obvious affection and attachment the prince had for his servant.

Hermione smiled and shook her head. The idea that Merlin, the Merlin, was nothing but a storky- all legs and knees, servant boy to the Prince Arthur. She could scarcely believe it.

She arrived back to the infirmary in time to see Gaius off. "Here's a note for Merlin." Gaius pressed a message written on rough paper into her hand. "He's to read this, and please. Try to stop him when he goes to come after me."

Hermione gave him an internally dubious look- her try to stop Merlin- right, but on the outside she kept her facial expression smooth. "I'll do my best."

Gaius nodded and, in her surprise, pulled the young woman into a hug. "I'm so glad for having met you, Hermione." He murmured. "You are so good for the world, it gives this old man hope."

He stepped back and kept his hands on her shoulders whilst looking her over. "You may just be the best thing to ever happen to Camelot." Hermione blushed hotly, but couldn't reply before Gaius had swept out the door and off to his doom.

Hermione was left to stare after him. "He might just be the bravest man that I've ever known." She said quietly to herself before taking a seat on the cot. She thought it was for only a moment, however that proved wrong when she heard the door burst open and awoke to see Merlin coming into the chambers.

She sat straight up and let out a his of pain as her wound stretched. Merlin was instantly in front of her, kneeling and holding her hands in his. "I'm sorry to have scared you. I caused you to hurt yourself." He said looking her over and Hermione smiled at his kindheartedness.

"No, it was my mistake. I never meant to fall asleep in the first place. I have been waiting for you." Hermione watched as Merlin's face flushed- it was hot in here, and he smiled at her.

"Well, you can tell me whatever it is while I am packing. I have very little time this morning. Arthur had me wash his floors, his laundry, and scour his chainmail all after making him breakfast. He's truly eaten up my time."

Hermione nodded and followed him into his bedchamber. He stopped short when he noticed his mother's disappearance. "Where is she?" He questioned fearfully.

Hermione waved off his concern. "Gaius had her moved to a room with better air circulation."

Merlin nodded, "Of course. I should have known that- good old Gaius." He quickly set to the task of taking a few of his meager possessions and putting them in a leather satchel. She sat on the corner of the bed, careful not to jostle the hidden and sleeping Hunith and watched the young man who would one day be considered the most powerful and legendary of all wizards.

"Merlin, where are you going?" She questioned, fearing the answer.

"I am going on a trip- not to worry. I'll be back shortly." Merlin lied after a moment's paused and Hermione's lips pulled into a frown.

"You're lying."

Merlin stopped his movements completely and turned to face her. His face was guilty. Very, very, guilty. "I." He stopped. "I cannot tell you where I am going. Only that it is important to my mother's health." He turned back and continued his packing. The were silent for a long time until Merlin spoke again.

"I am sorry for lying to you."

Hermione glanced up at him, startled. "People lie." She said slowly, carefully. "I know that you chose to lie to me, in order to protect the both of us. I trust that your intentions were good. I wish, however, that you had chosen to be honest with me."

"Would you try to stop me?" Merlin questioned as he finished his packing and turned to face her.

"Yes." Hermione said easily and Merlin came into her personal space and placed hands on either side of her legs- just missing Hunith and the invisibility cloak, Hermione noted silently.

"I have to." He averted his eyes. "I cannot explain why. But." He paused and took a deep breath. "I feel responsible for Will's death." He held a finger to her lips as she opened her mouth to protest. "No, you do not understand, however it is my fault. I will not let you lose another important person to you."

Merlin looked like he wanted to say more, but instead he backed off and strode out of the room. Hermione, feeling shocked and breathless, followed behind him urgently.

"Merlin."

Merlin finished shoving a purse of coins into his purse and turned to face Hermione. "I need to do this, Hermione." He paused and looked around, a thought dawning on him. "Hermione, where's Gaius?"

Hermione's expression changed to sorrowful and yet defiant. She stared at her feet and crossed her arms looking somewhere between righteous and fighting back tears.

"Hermione?" Merlin questioned again coming towards her slowly, as if she was a frightened animal. He placed his satchel on the ground before hesitating and wrapping his arms around the woman. "Hermione, what's wrong. Where's Gaius?"

A tear forced its way out of one of Hermione's eyes and Merlin's heart skidded to an icy stop. She buried her face in his shoulder and cried whilst reaching into her pocket for a note. She handed it to him and Merlin read it over her shoulder, one hand holding the note, and the other running up and down her back in a soothing motion.

'Dear Merlin,

My life is already near to its end. There has, for the most part, been very little purpose to it. Very little that will be remembered. In contrast, Merlin, your life is destined for greatness. Live by the tenants I have taught you, and I believe in time, that you will become the greatest warlock ever. To have known you has been my greatest pleasure. And to sacrifice myself for you is, but an honor. You are, and always will be the son that I never had.'

Merlin was filled with such sadness and rage that something flashed inside of him.

"No!" He cried and magic burst forth from his form and blew Hermione away from him forcefully. He looked down at her, torn. Her body was crumpled and unconscious on the floor and was folded into the most awkward of angles. He looked to the door and then back to her. He took a step to the door before cursing and rushing over to Hermione.

Swiftly, he picked her up and laid her down on the cot. With a final kiss on her forehead Merlin grabbed his satchel and ran out the door.

Hermione awoke sometime later to see two faces hovering over hers. "What?" She asked softly and with confusion. "Draco?" She asked the blond swimming face. "What are you doing here? And Padma?" Draco and Padma looked at each other before one placed a cool and wet cloth on Hermione's forehead. Her head ached and she could not hear what they were saying. Soon she slept again.

She was on a creaking ship and could smell the fresh salt air. That was weird, she was fairly certain that Camelot was nowhere near the sea. She stepped along the creaking planks and came to a halt in front of the door to the captain's cabin. Cautiously, Hermione pushed open the door to find a figure hunched over maps that had carved figures on them strewn in various places.

"Harry." She whispered and the head whipped up.

"Hermione." Harry gasped before moving towards her. He ran through her figure and collapsed to his knees. "I've gone mad. I've gone mad."

"No, you haven't." Hermione admonished, coming to kneel next to him. "I'm truly right here." Harry picked his head up, his face pale and gaunt with blood shot eyes and lifted a hand to run through her ghostly form.

"You've died then. You're a ghost."

Hermione paused. "Well, I suppose that you're partially correct. I suppose I am dead- sort of." Harry gave a gasp of a wail in despair. "Oh, stop that. I'm not dead-dead. Not, yet at least. I'm trapped in the past. The only reason I might be dead, is because I could never live long enough to have our time frames remerge together."

"You're in the past." Harry repeated slowly.

"Yes, the past. " She tugged at her dress. "Can't you see what I'm wearing for Merlin's sake?" Man, that felt weird now. She might never be able to curse Merlin's saggy balls, or boxer shorts now.

Harry looked at her, really looked at her. "You really are in the past."

Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes. "Yes. Exactly. I am trying to find a way to come back- and I don't know how I'm talking to you now."

Harry sat back on the ground roughly. "So, you're not dead- but you might be dead of old age if you can't figure this out- am I following you?"

Hermione nodded and the scene started to break up into fog. "Yes. Now Harry. Stay strong. I'm coming back to you."

"I know." Harry responded weakly and the scene broke up entirely.

The wind whistled through Hermione's hair and she fell back through the ceiling and floors of Camelot until she landed once again in her body. It was dark and a candle was it. Hermione looked around and spotted Gwen seated at the table reading a book.

"Gwen." She coughed, her mouth dry and at once her head throbbed with the worst pain. Actually, everywhere throbbed as if she had been thoroughly thrashed.

Gwen looked up from her book startled and immediately went to Hermione's side. "You've given us all quite a scare." She said quietly as she held some water up for Hermione to drink.

"Us?" Hermione questioned after she had wet her parched throat.

"Prince Arthur and I have been taking turns monitoring your recovery. I believe that your sickness had gotten worse, you barely moved all day." She scooted a little closer. "Merlin's mother is missing as well as Merlin and Gaius- did she pass on in the night, and have they gone to bury her?" Gwen's voice was fearful and Hermione smiled up at the serving girl.

"No, I believe that Merlin's mother is going to recover quite nicely. She's in another room in the castle, better ventilation you know." Gwen nodded like she knew, but in reality she truly hadn't the foggiest idea as to what Hermione was referring to.

"If she's going to recover, where are Gaius and Merlin?"

Hermione thought quickly and came up with an answer. "They are off fetching her medicine that they were able to find in a book." She winced at the lie. "They should be back soon."

Gwen nodded and sat back with satisfaction. Hermione sat herself up slightly and propped herself up on the wall that was behind the cot. Gwen pressed a cup of water into her hands and Hermione lifted it to her lips and gave a great drink.

"Guinevere." A voice called from the door and Hermione started to choke on her water. Guinevere? Gwen was Guinevere. The Guinevere. Hermione began to feel light headed again and Gwen grabbed the water before it fell.

"In here, your Highness." Gwen replied softly as she stood and placed the water within easy reaching distance. Arthur came into the infirmary and glanced towards Hermione.

"You're up." Hermione nodded but could not help but stare at Arthur and Gwen, she was staring at Arthur and Guinevere. "I sat with you for some time." He winked at her. "Heard you say the name 'Merlin." Hermione blushed hotly at the accusation. She would never feel that way about Merlin. He was, well, he was Merlin!

The three sat together until Hermione shooed them out the door some time later. This Merlin needed training, desperately. Hermione rubbed her body which was still wracked with pain. Both from being blasted away and the fall, and the overwhelming amount of power that had coursed through her when Merlin had lost his temper. He needed training.

Training. Hermione paused. Training. That word ran over and over in her head. "Of course." She murmured to herself and grabbed her wand from its spot below her pillow. With a complicated wand movement she 'acciod' _Hogwarts a History_ from her bag. Feeling the familiar book in her hand made Hermione's heart soar. Life was going to be better, now. Quickly cracking open her old favourite she poured over the table of contents until she came to the founding section. She turned to the chapter and scanned it greedily. There! Hogwarts already existed. She flipped through the book until she came to a page and a line and a sentence that made her heart and her breath stop.

"Merlin was a student at Hogwarts." She murmured out loud, not able to believe it. While she didn't believe in divination, she did believe that things happened for a reason. It was possible that the reason that she was sent to this time was to get Merlin to Hogwarts. Maybe this was her destiny.

Hermione closed the book and returned it to its proper place in her bag. Once that was finished she made her way slowly, painstakingly slow, to Merlin's bedchambers and removed the cloak from Hunith. Instantly Hermione began to cry. Hunith was healed.

Hermione collapsed into the seat and wept. This meant that either Gaius had been successful in his self-sacrifice, or that Merlin was dead and that time had been altered. She folded and refolded the cloak as a way to provide comfort while she wept before placing it to the ground and weeping in earnest.

Arms wrapped around Hermione and she buried her face into whoever it was- most likely Gwen or Arthur and continued to weep until she had nothing left to give. Leaning back, Hermione prepared her apology to see that she had been crying into Merlin, and Gaius stood behind him.

Unable to help herself, Hermione began to cry again. She held Merlin with such ferocity that it was almost painful, but neither person minded. When she calmed Hermione leaned back finally and looked between the two of them. "I'm so happy to see you, both."

Merlin wiped away her tears with the hem of his sleeve before stepping back. "Why were you crying so?"

Hermione panicked and looked between Merlin and Gaius, finally Gaius spoke. "Merlin, Hermione knows of your magic."

Merlin looked torn and terrified. Instantly and on instinct Hermione reached out and grabbed his hand, as she would have grabbed the hands of Ron or Harry. "Will told me." Merlin seemed to calm, as though the simple blessing of Will was enough to sanctify the telling of Merlin's most precious secret. "And, Gaius told me what you planned to do, and what he was going to do to stop you and I couldn't bear the thought of either of you dying." Her eyes began to tear again. "I'm just so pleased that you both are alright."

Hunith began to wake and Hermione retreated from the room to allow the family a reunion. She sat out in the main infirmary space for a long time before Gaius joined her. "What happened?" She asked, knowing that one of them had to die.

Gaius frowned. "Merlin, for lack of better terms. Murdered someone."

Hermione gasped. And Gaius raised his hand as though to stall her judgment. "She was the wicked and evil sorceress, Nimweh. She had been a threat to the kingdom for a long time. She had attempted to bring war here, and to kill Prince Arthur." Gaius paused. "She was the reason for the death of the Queen." Hermione's breath stalled in her chest. "The great powers simply accepted her life instead of ours. Merlin hadn't meant for that to happen, however it is for the best."

Hermione nodded, still queasy at the idea of life sacrifices for magic. She would be happy when she returned to modern magic, which didn't require such sacrifices. Who was she trying to fool? A lot of the stronger spells did, but she conveniently forgot about this for now.

"And you, my dear. What happened to you?" Gaius asked in concerned and gently pressed a few fingers to a large bruised that spanned a good portion of Hermione's face and forehead.

"Merlin." She murmured and looked away. "He had a burst of accidental magic. He didn't mean it."

Gaius' face grew angry. "That boy needs to learn control." His fingers formed into a fist and Hermione sighed.

"Yes, he does, and I will help him." Gaius looked at her hopefully. "Once, I get Hunith home and the village prepared I will journey to my school and request Merlin to be admitted, despite his age. It is obvious that he is powerful, and without training that kind of power in dangerous." Gaius nodded and they continued to fashion plans quietly until they heard the door of the bedchamber open.

When Merlin found them they were deep in conversation about the strengths and weaknesses of certain medicinal herbs to others. He cleared his throat. "Gaius, may I please speak to Hermione alone for a moment?"

Gaius stopped talking and looked between the two before exiting back up to where his sister lay, recovering from her ordeal. Merlin sat down on the bench next to Hermione turned to face her, one leg on the inside of the bench, and the other stretching along the exterior.

"You know about my magic." He said at last, it was not a question.

Hermione nodded. "I do."

"And?" Merlin questioned, trying not to seem nervous, but failing miserably.

Hermione shrugged. "Magic is but a tool. With it you could contribute to evil or to good." She smiled at him and placed a gentle hand on his arm. "From what I've seen, you use your powers for good, and that is enough to warrant my loyalty."

Merlin looked incredibly relieved before spying the many bruises that spanned her figure, most glaringly, the one spanning across her forehead. Lifting a hand, he went to place it against her face and saw her flinch.

"I am a monster." He exclaimed with a quiet and haunted voice, dropping his hand.

"No." Hermione replied passionately and took the abandoned limb. "Your emotions overwhelmed you. You could not have controlled what you did. You did not know."

Merlin snorted in disbelief. "I hurt you."

Hermione squeezed his hand. "I've been hurt fair worse than this." She comforted and Merlin looked aghast, if still a little unbelieving.

With a sigh Hermione rolled up her sleeve, past what was modest and forcing Merlin to blush. The blush vanished, and he instead became pink with rage when he saw a word had been carved- literally carved, into her skin.

"Mudblood." He whispered feeling ill. He traced the letters with delicate fingers and felt her shudder underneath his handling. He immediately pulled back. "Sorry." He murmured, apologizing for hurting her.

Hermione shook her head. "It's nothing."

Merlin looked at the word again. "Who did this?"

Hermione shrugged. "It doesn't matter. She can never hurt me again."

"She?" He was even more appalled.

Hermione nodded. "She. But it's all right. I'm healed now, see?" She slapped her arm twice to show that it caused her no pain. "But, the point is that, I know that you would never deliberately hurt me- it's not in your nature." She gestured to her arm. "Consider me experienced in the slightly deranged person division."

Merlin hugged her tightly to him, and it surprised a squeak out Hermione. "Thank you." He whispered. And she hugged him back, understanding. She did not believe that he was a monster. He couldn't have felt greater gratitude.

_E Pluribus Unum_

Despite Merlin and Gaius' pleading, Hunith and Hermione began their traveling back to Ealdor. At the last second before their departure, Merlin, with Arthur's strange blessing ("Oh, you escort them, tiger") joined them as their guard. They moved slowly, with extra healing supplies from Gaius, and it took them two and a half glorious days to reach Ealdor.

Merlin slept on the floor of his mother's house for two days before leaving urgently on a horse back to Camelot. That journey had been one of the best periods of Merlin's life. They had experience no trouble and Merlin got to spend long hours talking to Hermione about his life, without fear of persecution or repercussions. She listened openly and without judgment. Merlin was in heaven.

In the end it was only because he knew Arthur was most likely growing impatient, that Merlin left. In reality he wanted to spend forever with Hermione. He was more determined now, than ever before that while his destiny was to help Arthur achieve the throne, it was also his destiny to protect Hermione.

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**Good? Bad? Fantasticomgwtf? This weekend was Anime Boston and I was really sad to miss it. I mean, I'm not the biggest anime fan anymore, not like when I was a teenager, but there is something so electric and so alluring about a con atmosphere. I absolutely adore going to any and all, the people are amazing. The passion is tangible, and while I do not always care for the smelliness of the congoers, it is still worth it. So, what did you think? Remember, I am requiring reviews for this chapter.**

** has it on there that Merlin was a student at Hogwarts, so that is actually canon. Hogwarts was established around or a little before the time of Camelot as a place to learn magic away from the persecution of the non-magical folk (Uther). I hope that people picked up on that, and on the other little plot hint that I dropped. And I dropped a few huge ones for further plot development. I'll give whoever can guess what I dropped and why it is important/ what does it mean, an exclusive on what is going to happen, and what is coming up.**

**I'll try to update again before I move to Atlanta, but once I'm there its a full time job at an art school in a new city, so my posts cannot be expected to be punctual. Anyway.**

**Cheers!**

**iBless!**


	7. Chapter 7

**"Plot twist, plot twist. Everyone its a plot twist." Sung to the tune of 'Footloose'. I leave in three days for my new life in Atlanta, and frankly, I'm terrified. So I've stayed up way too late, writing this chapter because I have the entirety of this story outlined, as well as the sequel. And boy, I think I am even more excited for the sequel. That being said, this story is no where near over and you'll be seeing many more ups and downs, twists, and turns before this wild ride ends. This major twisting begins now!**

* * *

Hermione gave a weary sigh as she dismounted from her horse and rubbed her aching muscles. A stable boy came and took her horse and she tossed him a silver coin piece before entering into the tavern. Instantly loud chatter and the rotting smell that she associated with mead assaulted her senses and Hermione smiled, after being on the road for so long it was nice to have human company- even if it was rowdy. She was still smiling when she lowered her cloak hood and gazed at the dirty innkeeper.

"I'd like a room for the night please." She placed three copper pieces on his table and a silver piece followed. "As well as bath- warm, and supper."

The man stared at her and then at the money. "Is it just you, mistress?"

Hermione nodded and the innkeeper gave her a smile that made Hermione's skin crawl. She would have to watch him. "Of course, I'll have one of the maids make up a room. Would you like a bath before or after your meal?"

Hermione gave him another smile that promised nothing but good business. "Before, please."

The man nodded and called one of the maids over. With a few quick words the maid went out to the stable before leading Hermione through the common room and up onto the second floor where the bedchambers were located. Despite the level of noise from the downstairs occupants, Hermione's room was pleasantly quiet and she sighed in content as she sat down on the bed. A knock at her door was answered by the maid and two young men appeared carrying Hermione's belongings, her saddlebags and the healers bags that she had kept on her spare mount.

The horse that she had been riding was a light and spirited mare, a gift from surprisingly Prince Arthur from the royal stables. She had named the mare Luna, after her beloved friend and because the mare was a shade of silver that reminded her of moonlight. Her second horse was a heavier working horse mix that she had bought from a farmer just outside of Ealdor. He had a temper, but bless his heart she loved him entirely. He had a mottled brown coat with a beautifully lightly colored mane, and she had named the ill-tempered beast Festus, meaning 'happy' in Latin.

Directing the men where to put down her possessions she had a few minutes of peace before the door knocked again. She opened the heavy wooden door to reveal two maids with steaming jugs of water. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you." The witch greeted them and they smiled at her in return before entering the room and pouring the jugs into the already present bathing vessel.

Hermione closed the door behind the maids and waved her hands to lock it. Stripping off her dirty road clothing, Hermione stepped into the hot water with a hiss. It was hot, too hot, but she didn't want to get out. That hiss turned into a happy sigh as Hermione sunk into the water. She had been on the road for so long, sleeping outside and bathing in streams. This was heaven.

Hermione had taken over six months to prepare the village for her departure. She officially handed over the infirmary to Hunith and together they selected an apprentice, a shy young man named Bessas. Since then she had been on the road for two months. Hogwarts was difficult to find in modern times, in medieval times? It was near impossible. On top of Hogwarts being unplottable she had no roads and no landmarks to go off of. Hogsmeade didn't exist yet, and the Hogwarts Express hadn't been invented yet. This meant that Hermione was left combing the entirety of the Isle of Britannia for her beloved school.

She was nervous, what was Hogwarts like now? Hogwarts, as far as she knew, was established not too long before the Great Purge, so it existed. However the school was in its infancy. She wondered what the founders would be like. Hermione stayed in her bath until the water was cold. She eventually exited and changed into a nice clean deep blue gown that hadn't gotten too wrinkled in her travels. Soft leather slippers and a quick spell to dry her hair made her sigh with content. It was so nice to be clean and comfortable.

_E Pluribus Unum_

Hermione descended the stairs and was immediately steered towards a table close to the innkeeper's area. Seeing where she was being taken Hermione smiled politely before managing to convince the maid to place her in the corner by a roaring fire. Supper was spiced rice, a delicacy in this time period, and slabs of herb-crusted wild boar. She polished off the meal in record time, enjoying her first decent meal in weeks before allowing a mug of spiced mulled wine and a bowl of apples to be placed at her table.

The innkeeper found her sipping from her cup of the warm liquid and welcomed himself to a seat.

"Where are you traveling from?"

"Camelot." Hermione replied taking on a tone, which screamed 'do not disturb me'.

The innkeeper nodded amiably and leaned forward on the table. "And what brings you all the way out here? Camelot's quite the distance."

Hermione frowned. "I am on a mission from the court physician."

"Ah, of course." The man replied scratching his large belly, which seemed to fill up his entire ratty tunic. It was obvious that he didn't believe her, and that made Hermione nervous. Usually when she mentioned Camelot she was left alone. "And they will be looking for you, at some point- I suppose."

A hand came out of nowhere to clamp down on the innkeeper's shoulder. "Of course, that's why I'm here checking up on her." Hermione and the innkeeper looked up to see a man standing at the table with long brown hair.

His face was angular, and he was built rather obviously as a fighter, though he was not very large. Every inch of him, however, was decked out in muscles. The innkeeper's face looked rather purple as the man nodded to Hermione. "Lady Hermione, Gaius has written me of your travels."

The innkeeper excused himself and Hermione found herself in the company of a very attractive male. She blushed. "Thank you." She murmured softly, gazing into her cup rather than at him.

He smiled at her; she caught it out of the corner of her eye and Hermione's skin rippled. "It was my pleasure to help such a beauty."

Hermione's skin lit. "Do you truly know Gaius?" Her curiosity got the better of her, and she glanced up into his widely smiling and attractive face.

"I do. His boy Merlin is my dearest friend." The man seemed genuine and Hermione found herself relaxing in his presence. Her face broke into an even wider smile at Merlin's name.

"Merlin is truly gifted in his friends, it seems." The man nodded and a look came across his face.

"I'm Gwaine." Hermione smiled.

"You already know my name."

Gwaine smiled back at her and nodded. "I do. Gaius sent me a letter to keep a look out for you." He leaned forward and clasped his hands on the table. "He said that you're looking for something important."

Hermione nodded. "I am."

"And?" He asked with an almost whining tone.

Hermione took a deep sip of her wine and finished off the cup. She stood and as action of boldness, she pet him on his cheek. "Goodnight Gwaine." She could hear his groan as she walked away and a smile tucked itself into her cheeks. She liked him.

_E Pluribus Unum_

Hermione was dreaming when something shifted in her subconscious. She felt scared. Something was touching and Hermione's eyes shot open. A hand was on her neck, and something was over her face. Hermione's fingers reached and clamped down on the hand, it was large and meaty. No matter how she dug her nails, or grabbed and twisted it would not release her.

The pressure relented for a moment and Hermione gasped for breath and gave a short-lived scream. The pressure was back and harder. Her magic, she had to reach her magic. She couldn't concentrate and her thoughts were growing hazy. With a last ditch effort she shoved magic out of her body with the intent of blasting him away. Nothing happened. Something happened then that Hermione would not have admitted in a thousand years. She gave up.

Pain in her chest made Hermione gasp. She coughed hard and rolled onto her side before she started dry heaving. A hand was rubbing her back as Hermione gasped and wretched. She reached up to massage her neck where it had been gripped before opening her eyes. The innkeeper was crumpled on the floor and next to her was Gwaine. He had saved her. And judging by the pain from her chest, he had revived her.

Without reservation she threw herself into his arms and cried. She had given up. She had stopped fighting. Hermione could hear Gwaine murmuring words of comfort however they were lost on her. The images of the attack rolled over and over in her mind. She felt ill. Never before had she felt so powerless, and she had been so tired that she had forgotten to ward her room. More carefully this time, Hermione replayed the events of the attack. Her thoughts stopped and she focused on one single moment.

Frantically she ripped herself from Gwaine's grasp and stumbled over to the knocked out body of the innkeeper. She tugged at him trying to turn him over before he moved easily; Gwaine had come to her assistance once again. Ignoring the feeling of repulsion Hermione searched the large body until she came in contact with a necklace. Her skin hummed. Tugging the chain Hermione pulled out a glass amulet at the end.

"Bastard." She tried to tug off the necklace when pain shot through her hand.

"Gwaine." She gasped out as she clutched her hand. "Take the necklace off of him."

He looked at her in confusion before grabbing the necklace and ripping it off.

Hermione sighed in relief and gestured for him to put it into the small hearth that warmed her room. "Put more logs on the fire. It has to burn." Without question her new friend did as she bid before calling for the town guards to come and take the innkeeper away.

_E Pluribus Unum_

"What do you mean?" Hermione heard Gwaine's enraged voice from in the hallway and she crept towards the door. She peered out into the hallway and saw Gwaine speaking with two of the village guard. "He attacked an innocent woman."

The guards looked uncomfortable. "What he did was unforgivable" One of the guards answered gruffly. "But, there are no laws here that say he can't."

Gwaine moved to hit the guard, however Hermione intercepted and grabbed him. "Don't Gwaine. Please."

With great effort Hermione dragged him back into the room where the stood for a moment staring at the innkeeper who Gwaine had just recently knocked out for a second time. She closed the door and turned to see him sitting on the bed.

He gave her the feeling of security, familiarity, and excitement that she remembered from Harry and Ron. She walked over to him and couldn't resist placing her hands on his head. And he reached up his hands to grip her arms. "You'll receive no justice." He murmured in a heart wrenching voice. Hermione got the idea that her new friend was secretly a believer in the knight's code and chivalry.

Hermione didn't say anything still all but stunned from the whole evening. The running of his hands (when had that even started?) stopped. "Why did I have to take that necklace and burn it?"

"Gwaine." Hermione cautioned, moving to step back. His grip firmed and Hermione found herself trapped.

"Why?" He looked up at her. "I feel as though I already know the answer." Hermione stayed silent, feeling scared and unsure in a way that gripped her heart differently than the attack had. "It is magic. I know this has something to do with magic."

Hermione looked away. "You're magic." She must have started to shake because Gwaine stood and pulled her into his arms. "Sh. You have nothing to fear from me." She had known this man for less than twenty-four hours and he had already found out her secret.

The truth came tumbling out. "When he attacked me I tried to fight him, but my magic didn't work. Nothing affected him."

"Because of the amulet." Gwaine stated and Hermione nodded.

"It blocked my magic, absorbed it really."

"And you couldn't remove it because you're a magical being." Gwaine was slowly piecing together the puzzle.

"Bingo." Hermione answered and Gwaine pulled a face.

"What on Earth does Bingo mean?"

It was Hermione's turn to pull a face. "It just means that you answered correctly.

Gwaine nodded and his face looked contemplative. "So, as a witch, would you be able to," he made a movement with his hands, "magic something up as a form of justice."

"Using magic on a non-magical person is expressively forbidden."

"He attacked you!"

"And that's no reason for me to attack him!"

"That's every reason for you to attack him." Gwaine said firmly and they glared at each other. Hermione moved away from him and sat roughly down on the bed. Her head went down and her hands ran through her hair, gripping and releasing in frustration.

The bed dipped as Gwaine sat next to her. They were silent for a long time, both lost in their own thoughts. Hermione was surprised when a hand reached up and gripped her hand that had been buried deep in her curls. She looked up in surprise to see Gwaine holding her hand. Something stirred in her that she hadn't felt since William's death. As if time had slowed, Hermione watched as the clasped hands rose up to Gwaine's lips and as he placed a delicate kiss on her knuckles. Hermione's skin heated.

"I have an idea." He murmured into the digits, his eyes locked to hers. "A justice spell."

"A justice spell?" Hermione asked, her voice faint as she dealt with her raw emotions.

"Yeah. Instead of attacking him, have it be that whenever he attacks another person, he would feel every blow. He won't hurt, unless he hurts others."

Hermione sat very still. This was tempting, and it was also taking a step onto a steep and slippery slope. She looked at the innkeeper. He was a large man, huge really. His muscles came from beating his servants and preying on women. His gut was enormous. The odds of a woman being able to fight him off successfully were minimal.

"This scares me." Hermione said finally.

"What?" Gwaine asked as he rubbed his hands up and down her.

"This is dangerous. This risk that I would be taking."

"No one would ever find out, I'd make sure of it." Gwaine promised and Hermione shook her head.

"Not that. It is the risk that I will hesitate less to put magical on a muggle." At Gwaine's questioning look Hermione explained, "That's the word for a non-magical person. "

"A muggle." Gwaine said slowly, if not slightly skeptically. "Sounds like a nice bar drink to me."

Hermione laughed despite the gravity of the situation and pushed him lightly on the shoulder. "Yes, a muggle. And I'm afraid that one that I won't think twice about using magic on one."

A finger pressed to her lips and Hermione quieted. "And, that's the exact reason why you will never abuse your power. You think about this stuff too much. You contemplate every consequence your action could or would have." Gwaine squeezed her hand. "You're a good person, better than I am, at least. And, that is why I know that you will never abuse your power in such a manner."

Hermione looked up at his easy grin and felt his honesty. From their short friendship, Hermione had come to understand that Gwaine was the type of man who let his heart grow and breath on the sleeve of his clothing. He was an open book.

"Okay."

"You'll do it?" Gwaine asked, trying to not sound overly hopeful.

Hermione nodded. "But, you must promise me that you'll make sure that I don't turn into a person that I'm not."

Gwaine held her eyes for a long time and Hermione's heart stopped. Acting on instinct the two leaned in and their lips touched. Fire ran through her body. They separated and Hermione could feel her cheeks flush at the look that he was giving her.

"I promise."

With a nod Hermione stood up and went over to the body. There was no modern spell for what she was going to try and do, at least, no modern spell she had ever come across. That meant that she had to rely on the more crude and utterly more time consuming medieval magic method.

"_**Angsumnes bist dæl**_." Hermione murmured after thinking for a time. She repeated the phrase a few more times before really understanding the pronunciation. Finally, before beginning she grabbed a stick from the fire and blew the end of it so that it was out. Waiting a few moments for the stick to cool, Hermione glanced at Gwaine before drawing the mark against evil on the innkeeper's forehead and the palm of both hands. With that finished, Hermione turned her hands palm up and thrust them towards the innkeeper.

"_**Angsumnes bist dæl!**_"

The signs that she had drawn flared with light and a strong wind rushed through the room. Beads of sweat ran down Hermione's face and she frowned. This was not an everyday spell, but one that would bind with this man's very essence. She tried not to think that what she was doing could be considered dark magic.

Something shifted and Hermione smiled before lowering her hands. The winds died down and the three people were cast into darkness as the fire had gone out. Hermione didn't even glance at the fire before she made it spring back up. Looking towards Gwaine she frowned.

"Did I do the right thing?" Her question was so vulnerable. She felt so vulnerable. Had she become a monster with this action?

Gwaine was soon with her and he held her to him as she shook with both fright of the evening, and with fright of herself.

"No, no. You did the right thing." He murmured over and over into the top of her head and Hermione began to relax.

_E Pluribus Unum_

Gwaine stood with the newly gotten guards in the door of her rooms. "I'm going to make sure that this beasty gets put to bed. Though he deserves much worse." The last part of his statement was meant for the guards and Hermione hid a smile at his chivalry. "I leave you to your sleep, milady."

Something cold clutched Hermione's heart and she wrapped her dressing robe more firmly around her body. "Could," she paused and swallowed to moisten her suddenly dry mouth. "Could you please come back before you retire? I should like to talk with you a moment."

Gwaine mock bowed at her grandly. "As milady wishes."

Hermione nodded with a small smile and closed the door as the three men carried the larger one down the stairs and thankfully away from her. She closed the door behind her and stoked the fire. The room had taken on a chill. Taking a seat on her bed she waited, wringing her hands back and forth until a knock summoned her to her feet.

Upon opening the door she pulled Gwaine in without hesitation. She immediately released him and stepped back to a respectable distance. "I wanted to thank you."

Gwaine shrugged with a boyish smile. "I heard your scream as I was going to bed. And after all, Gaius would have never forgiven me."

Hermione nodded and opened the door once more for Gwaine to leave. She hesitated as he got to the door's threshold.

"Wait." Her small hand on the back of his tunic stopped him and he turned to see Hermione staring at the floor. "Would you be opposed to staying with me? Only for tonight." She ended quickly. "I just," a pause, "I don't feel safe."

Gwaine's gaze softened significantly and he came back into the room and shut the door himself. There was no reason for him to answer verbally and they shared a smile, though Hermione's was strained with anxiety. They both moved towards the bed and a real smile broke out across her face.

"Not in my bed." She admonished slightly and Gwaine pulled a face at her.

"Where am I to sleep then?" He asked as he swooped in and wrapped his arms around her body in a very intimate way.

Hermione untangled herself from his grasp with a laugh. "In the armchair, you silly man. Or, on the floor. I've extra blankets." Gwaine leveled her with a look before sighing and taking to the oversized armchair that sat next to the fire.

"Go to sleep now, before I change my mind." Hermione smiled brightly at him before climbing into bed.

Fear swept over her as soon as she was back in the place where she was attacked. "Maybe, you could move the chair a bit closer?" Hermione asked staring at the wall.

There was a strangled groan and the scraping of the chair legs on the wooden floor. She repeated the request several times until the chair bumped the bed and Gwaine stretched out his legs so that they lay across hers on the bed.

"There, I'm here. Now," his voice softened and Hermione felt his hand smooth through her hair. "Sleep."

Hermione, finally feeling safe, slept.

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**Shocked? I knew you would be. Let me know what your thoughts are. Before you ask, yes- this is a Hermione/Merlin story. However, Hermione needs some healing and Merlin still has to have his love with Freya. I do nothing by accident, and hopefully you've enjoyed this. Gwaine is truly my favourite character in the entire Merlin series and I really wish Merlin had confided about his magic to the knights way back even into season three/fourish. Oh well. Review and help ease my anxiety about moving and starting a new job by reading your wonderful reviews.**

**Cheers,**

**iBless!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Another chapter! I am beginning my move either late tomorrow/tonight, or I am leaving on Tuesday. I am spending a little less than a week driving down to Atlanta and then beginning a new chapter of my life there. My dog is staying with my mother for the time being and I am beside myself with the thought of being without her. I could never take her to Atlanta, however, because frankly she'll most likely die. She's an arctic breed of dog and I'm pretty sure she'll heat stroke in all of her fur. Even sixty or seventy degrees Fahrenheit pushes her, especially when in the winter where we've been living since she was born (so three years) it routinely gets down in negative twenty or below during the winter times.**

**Anyway, cheers and enjoy! Please review, I only received three from my last chapter and I am not feeling so motivated to continue if I do not get more support. Keep that in mind.**

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Hands wrapped around Hermione's waist and she shrieked whilst beating her attacker with her hands. She was unsuccessful and she soon found herself submerged in cold water. She and Gwaine had been relaxing by a lakeside as their horses drank and rested when he had decided it would be a grand idea to pick her up and toss her into the lake.

"I will kill you!" Hermione exclaimed at him as she stood waist deep in the water. Gwaine didn't seem too concerned as he laughed himself to near sickness. With a howl of outrage Hermione thrust herself through the water and then up onto the bank before tackling the older man. They wrestled in the warm sunlight feeling truly relaxed. Lips pressed to hers and Hermione welcomed the attention, and reciprocated it.

It had been a year since their faithful meeting and the two lovers were enjoying their lives together. His hands traced the curves of her body and Hermione smiled into the kiss. Was this relationship going to last forever? Honestly, she didn't know. They seemed to run hot and cold like she and Ron had. Today, however, was an exceptionally good day.

It was some time later when Hermione was redressing after a rousing tumble in the grass when a hand pressed to her mouth and she was tugged down to hide behind a tree. "Gwaine." She laughed quietly when he moved his hand away. "I've only just redressed from our last antics, isn't it about time that we rode on?"

Gwaine shushed her and Hermione gazed at him, only now realizing his tense form.

"I want you to take the horses and go." He whispered to her while gripping her waist in his large hands. Every line of his body screamed tension, and his usual boyish smile was replaced by a deep frown.

"What?" Hermione asked feeling insulted. "You know I can take care of myself."

Gwaine turned her face so that it was inches from his. "I saw thirty bandits, at least, camped a few hundred meters away. I'm surprised they haven't already found us. You need to get away from here."

"We need to." Hermione affirmed grasping his hand and giving it a squeeze.

"No, not today." Gwaine was firm. He returned the squeeze before lifting their clasped hands and turning them so that he could place a kiss on her palm. "There are too many men. We haven't tried to face these odds before."

"You'll die." Hermione accused and Gwaine shrugged.

"If I die so that you escape, it will be my life well spent."

"That is not your choice to make. I'll not let you forfeit your life for mine."

"Consider it forfeit, because if only one of us can make it out of here alive, it will be you." Something in Gwaine's look made Hermione's stomach churn with unease. It was times like this that their fighting took place. Gwaine, though he knew that she was perfectly capable of defending herself, treated her as if she was no better than a kitten. All paws, and with not a single intelligent thought in her head.

There was the sound of fainting yelling and Gwaine cursed. "They've spotted the horses." Standing, Gwaine shoved Hermione away from him more harshly than intended and instructed her, "Run!"

Hermione ran to her larger horse, Festus, and removed her pole arm. "Never."

Gwaine's facial expression became strained and his eyes angry, however they could no longer fight as an arrow struck the tree behind him. He threw up his hands to shield his head and ran to his horse for his own weapons.

With a shout to Hermione, she and Gwaine mounted their horses whilst keeping their blades out and began to ride. Hermione chose to ride Festus instead of Luna. When it came to fighting, her beloved bigger horse was mean and meant as much as five men.

The bandits were on them quickly and Hermione sent Luna off into the woods for protection. Leaning forward she stabbed her blade into the shoulder of one man and felt her steed lean forward and kick out with his back hooves. Absently she murmured praise and stroked his strong neck, searching for anyone daring enough to get close to her and her warhorse.

She had ridden further ahead than Gwaine, and when she turned she saw three bandits bearing down on the man. Her heart clenched for a moment as she watched him take out two of them easily and then engage in one-on-one combat with the third. Something was pulling at her side and she stared at the man who had tried to unhorse her via her saddle. She cut him down and resolved herself to maintaining her mentality in the fight. Gwaine could handle himself, she knew that, and it was her job to stay safe.

Hermione swung her blade out again and again, however it seemed as though Gwaine's original figuring for thirty fighters had been wrong- or she was not counting correctly.

Lurching forward in the saddle, Hermione ran another man threw and hissed hotly as pain flared on her upper arm. She glanced to the side in time to see Gwaine killing the man that had landed a blow on her. They breathed heavily in a moment of reprieve while the enemy regrouped.

"You're injured." He noted, almost formally- now was not the time for excessive shows of emotions.

Hermione shrugged. "I've had worse. What I want to know is where all of these men are coming from."

Gwaine gave her a sidelong glance and tossed her some of the cloth he had shredded from his outfit. Hermione nodded in thanks before wrapping her arm. "I know, when I first saw their camp there hadn't been this many. They must have had friends in the area."

The bandits as one turned and began to corral the couple and their horses backward. Festus pawed the earth and Hermione ran a soothing hand up his sweat soaked withers. "Hush, Festus." She commanded lowly. They were in a bad place here. There were easily still another twenty-five men in front of them and Hermione's arm ached ferociously. There was a gasping noise and Hermione turned to see an arrow sticking out from just beside Gwaine's clavicle. Her world swam. He would not die, not today. Where had that arrow come from?

Her eyes combed the area, she could see no archers. She glanced back at Gwaine and saw the angle of the arrow. Of course! She swung her head up to the trees and saw an archer there readying a second arrow. Raising her hand, Hermione gave a blast of raw power and the branch that the man had situated himself on, cracked and then broke. He fell cruelly down the tree, hitting both large and small branches before landing in a heap on the ground, broken.

It was now or never, she needed to get Gwaine out of here, she could already see him reeling in his saddle, clutching the arrow that protruded from his chest in confusion. She had to bury these men.

In a daring move that most surely confused her attackers Hermione sprung from her saddle and ran towards the group. She stopped thirty yards away from them and fixed the leader with a look.

"Leave now and you can keep your lives." She warned. She was already working on the spell, raising power from both herself and the earth. A tendril of power extended from her core slowly before more and more followed. Soon the tendrils traveled down her arms and into her hands. "This will be your only warning."

The leader of the bandits smiled cruelly at her and Hermione could see, even from this distance, that he had no teeth. "I think we'll win this one, sweetheart."

Hermione frowned, she had warned them. With a shout the witch shoved her power from his hands deep into the ground.

"_**Botmas gypunga!"**_

The ground shook and then groaned before opening under the feet of the bandits. They all disappeared with horrified screeches of pain and fear. It chilled Hermione to the bone.

"_**Brytengrúndas bate botmas ic i beclýse."**_ Hermione finished her spell weakly, feeling sick to her stomach. The ground snapped shut, taking the lives of all the men with it. Her head swam with exhaustion and her knees trembled. Taking her lower lip between her teeth, Hermione bit down until she bled in order to keep herself awake and functional.

They were only two hours or so to the nearest large town, surely there they could find a room and settle down for the evening so that Hermione could heal Gwaine. She had no power now. Fear gripped her heart. This was similar to Will's death. A fletched weapon and her with but a drop of her magic remaining. A hand grabbed her shoulder and Hermione spun ready to kill whoever it was.

Gwaine was standing there next to her, though clearly in pain. "That was quite the feat of magic." He murmured. Hermione nodded. There was something odd about the look in his eye and Hermione shook off the feeling that it gave her.

"I had to save you." Gwaine gave her a strained smile and Hermione realized how much pain he must be in. "Come on, I need to get you somewhere warm, dry, and safe before I take care of that."

"Can't you just rip it out?" Gwaine asked as she led him over to his horse and helped her lover into the saddle.

Hermione shot him an exasperated look. "I don't know if that hit anything major. Ripping out an object like that is begging for disaster. If that is pressing into one of your main arteries, then by pulling it out, I could kill you."

Gwaine put up his free hand in surrender. "I understand. Let's go, shall we?" Hermione nodded and gave a sharp whistle. A few moments later Luna crashed through the trees, no worse for wear, and Hermione quickly unsaddled Festus, and stored his tack. She then saddled Luna and lead tied both Gwaine's Merryfoot and her Festus to Luna before leading them back to the main road.

The two kept up conversation with each other until they reached the village. It was times like these that Hermione felt most alone. Magic, though Gwaine whole-heartedly accepted it, could not be truly understood by him. He knew that she got tired when she used it, however he could not know that when empty of it, Hermione felt like butter scraped over too much bread- thin, brittle, and dry.

She would hear the sound of bone being crushed by dirt in her sleep for years. She took no pleasure in using magic for combat. There were times that she wished magic had never come to her. More and more her life back at home seemed like a dream that she made up, though she knew that her past was real. She wanted to desperately to return; however she did not know how. Maybe, she never would. Gwaine didn't know of her past, something kept her from telling him. She didn't know why, but every time she went to confess, a something stopped her.

Hermione shook her head and realized that Gwaine had asked a question. She apologized for her unusual state of distraction before asking to hear the question again. They continued until Hermione found a small inn and called help from the workers. The workers came out swiftly and almost with scary precision levered Gwaine out of the saddle and into the inn. Her things were removed from her horses and his before she was whisked inside with promises that their mounts would be looked after.

Hermione was swiftly stripped of her clothes and helped into a bath. She would have protested the treatment, however a closer inspection found that she had been more thoroughly injured than she first expected.

It wasn't until later on in the evening when Hermione was able to check on Gwaine. They had been given separate rooms and for once Hermione was not too opposed to it. Something about his look and his comment earlier had settled underneath her skin. The town healer had come and seen to Gwaine's wounds and he was sleeping peacefully. Hermione's brow softened as she gazed down upon him. He was truly a sight to behold, even when injured.

That was one thing that they could always count on- lust. Since the first time that the two met, it was as though a magnet attracted them. They had begun to share a bedroll shortly after meeting, and this fact would have mortified Hermione, had she not understood how marvelous Gwaine was, and how much he cared for her. She had a feeling that he wanted to marry her. Hermione didn't doubt that she would marry again, she had promised Will on his deathbed that she would move on. But as she brushed her hand along Gwaine's forehead and traced her fingers along the contours of his face, Hermione did doubt that she would marry him.

Hermione shook her head and bent over to press a needy kiss to Gwaine's lips. She was being silly, the near loss of him had made her question their love and commitment to one another. Another kiss on his forehead sealed the deal, she did love him and if he wanted her hand in marriage, it was his to have.

Feeling refreshed and further resolved, Hermione left his room and went down to the common room. This inn had a vastly different atmosphere than the one where she had met Gwaine. It was happy, yet she sensed an overwhelming fear. It piqued her interested, and Hermione made the decision to investigate.

Sidling into the area near the innkeeper's station Hermione smiled as the man himself came over to greet his customer. He was an older man, and she was forever grateful for the kindness that he and his people had bestowed upon the two travelers.

"It is good to see you well, mistress." The old man greeted her agreeably and Hermione gestured for him to join her.

"I am Hermione Greenstone of Ealdor in Essetir. I thank you for your kindness and hospitality."

The innkeeper's head bobbed. "It is our pleasure. Your friend was quite injured."

Hermione tipped her head in agreement. "We were attacked by bandits near the great road heading north. Do you know why there was such a large encampment there?"

The old man looked away fearfully and Hermione leaned forward in her seat. "You can trust me." She touched her voice with the tone that a daughter might use to an aging elder, "I might be able to help."

The old man shrugged harshly. "That I doubt, my dear. Those bandits belong to the slave trader Peniul the Horrific. He occupies a stronghold a bit away from here, and his bandits ransack the mountain side."

"You've no one to help you?" Hermione asked feeling astonished that their overlord would let such a thing happen.

The old man met her eyes with his and she shuddered. "Our overlord is a good man. He tried to help." His eyes were haunted, "his wife and children hang on the castle walls. He had his dog, Yennus, skin them alive for daring to speak out against him. He's taken all of our older children as his servants and for other purposes."

"All of them?" Hermione asked with horror. She had noticed as they road into town the lack of children's voices, and overall young people, but she had thought that she had just been mistaken.

"All of them. He also took the young children so that we adults would do as we're told."

"And you've taken me and my friend in at great risk to yourself."

The man shrugged. "The prophet's words are simple and finite. You must care for others as you would yourself, and be kind to all."

"You are truly a pious man." Hermione murmured, her mind shooting through thousands of possibilities.

"He had my daughter, you know." The innkeeper regaled, seeming to forget that Hermione was even there. "She tried to poison him, slipping metal shavings into his food. He caught her. He skinned her, but not before he disgraced her as no man should disgrace a woman."

Hermione reached out on instinct and clutched the man's hands. "You're daughter was a brave and admirable person. You should be proud."

Their eyes met. "I am proud. But, I would rather have my daughter and not my pride."

Hermione's heart broke. They talked for a time more, Hermione drawing more and more information out of the man before finally going off to bed. Her insides were seeped in rage and anger. This man had to be stopped. She would stop him.

In her beaded bag were things from home, things that she had always kept and never used. She slipped in her hand and willed herself to grab a few potions. One of them was vastly dangerous, however Hermione was willing to risk the danger. She should have used it to save Will, but her strength had left her and she remembered only having enough to hold him. There was no presence of mind for rather obscure potions that she had made years before. Since then, however, she had promised herself to never lay dormant when she could help others. No matter the cost.

This potion was only a temporary solution and Hermione would have to be careful. It was time sensitive and would run out after a certain period of time. She tucked it back into the bag and looked through her others before taking a pepper-up potion. Steam rushed from her ears and Hermione grinned at the feeling that it gave her. Finally she reached in for one more thing.

She pulled out an amulet and clutched it in her hands. She attached to it a sleeping spell and a slow healing spell before standing and making her way back to Gwaine's room. He mustn't awaken to find her gone; he was still injured and would only get himself killed. She sat next to him on his bed and cupped his face in her hands. Swiftly she pressed a kissed to his lips before slipping the pendant and necklace around his neck and standing. She strode to the door and looked back at him one last time. She might die, and she loved him.

_E Pluribus Unum_

Hermione heaved a heavy grate from above her head before reached up and levering herself out of the whole in the floor. An old footman who once served in the castle had showed her a secret way in. She now found herself in an obviously unused storeroom. She wrapped the invisibility cloak around her shoulders and then raised it above her head to cover her body completely. Slowly and with purpose, Hermione followed the precise directions of those who she had talked to earlier in the night before arriving at a door.

On faith of the villagers alone Hermione whispered, "alohomora." The lock clicked open and Hermione opened the door and stepped swiftly inside. Turning around she was met with the gaunt and haunted faces of the castle's serving people. "I am from the village." She murmured to them and then said the secret phrase that had been entrusted to her by the villagers. Instantly the strangers before her stood down and Hermione smiled at them in relief.

"I'm here to end all of this nonsense. This man is nothing but pure evil, and I plan to stop him."

"How?" The question was from a fearful young woman and Hermione saw in her the same light that she used to see in Ginny. "He had over a hundred men-at-arms here. You are but one person."

Hermione looked them all over and then raised a finger to her lips and blew. Instantly a fire popped up from the digit and those around her gasped.

"You have magic." One of them said accusingly, taking a step back in fear.

"And I only use it to help those who need it. Magic isn't a tool that should be used for ones own gain."

Why should we believe you?" Asked the same man.

Hermione shrugged. "Either you trust me and we can stop this man, or you can be fearful and possibly never be rid of him." The man opened his mouth to argue and was shoved from an unseen person in the masses.

"We'll fight." Said the first woman and Hermione felt relief. She had been weary- crazy was the better term, going up against all of these muggles. She, however, was banking on the element of surprise. And, now, she knew that she could count on the fifty-odd serving staff of the castle.

Swiftly the force left the room and found the armory. Peniul, she found out, always retreated to his study at the top of the castle come nightfall, and his men were barracked out in the space between the high guard wall, and the large central hall. The castle was small; it contained only a central large tower and a few outbuildings. The true power that could not be tackled was the gate to the outside. That would have to deal with that eventually, however Hermione first had to arm her people, both magically and physically.

She helped the servers pick out weapons suited for their age, weight, strength, size, and skill level before taking a few aside. Within this small group she divvied out some of Fred and George's products that could be thrown and used by muggles. Two got Decoy Detonators, small objects that went set off would scurry around and let off loud explosions in order to create a distraction. She then liberally handed out wild-fire whiz-bangs, Fred and George's wizarding fireworks.

She kept back the final few items for three people who she had noted as intelligent and fast-witted. The first was the Ginny like girl, the second was the man who had questioned her, and the third was a rather robust woman with arms like steel cables. "You all have something very important to do." She informed them before giving them all some very prized possessions. The three received Headless Hats, which when worn would give the appearance that the wearer's head had be cut off. She followed those up with instant darkness balls and fainting fancies.

"I want you all to sneak into the barracks and use the instant darkness balls. I can spell you to be able to see through the darkness but you have a very important job to do." She held up a fainting fancy. "These are fainting fancies. When eaten the person who ate them will faint and cannot be woken up until given the antidote. You need to feed these to as many soldiers as possible. We need to reduce the fighting force. The hats are meant to distract and disturb our enemies. We need to win this, or I cannot guarantee future safety." She met the eyes of her chosen and they nodded in understanding for their mission.

Her next move to was to find and remove the children from their place of capture. With the help of the servants, Hermione removed the children away from the castle and back down the tunnel that she had come in from. The villagers that she had instructed to wait were there and took charge of the children. They had been lucky; so far no guards had been seen. When she remarked as such one of her force snorted.

"It's not luck. They go and hide in their barracks and pretend that they aren't working for a monster. Should they exit, they would have to face the truth."

With that being said Hermione's resolve hardened. These men were cowards who were willing to serve a man who tortured and killed for fun. No doubt that they were working for the one true cause: gold. Motioning for her people to follow her, Hermione led her force back into the castle. They grabbed tables and chairs on the way to the barracks and then placed them against the windows and excess doors. The plan was to force the men-at-arms to exit through only one controlled doorway per building. This would keep them from being able to attack in full force- bottlenecking, as the term was known.

Hermione sent in her three special people and then stepped off to a corner. With reservation and not a small dose of fear, Hermione grabbed for the potion in her bag and uncorked it in one motion. Before she could hesitate and stop herself, Hermione downed it and felt power flow throughout her.

She had a half-hour, or forty-five minutes at most until she was all but powerless. She had to make it count. When her small force exited the barracks they dropped their thumbs down a number of times. Good, from the hand sign Hermione gathered that they had fed the fainting fancies to thirty men. This left seventy men-at-arms, for the group of fifty serving people. The odds weren't great, however they were better than before.

She dared not send her people back in to slit throats, however, because she feared that the still healthy ones would awaken. It was a suicide mission. They had prepared the best that they could and now was the time for action, and not stealth. Raising her arm silently Hermione caught the attention of her people before slashing it down harshly.

Breathing halted at that moment, and Hermione stopped and counted until ten before she heard the telltale noises of explosions from her distraction force. There was a great sound in the barracks before men started to stumble out of them still half asleep only to be cut down by the people placed on either side of the doors. That trick didn't last for too long and Hermione heard people beating on the chairs and tables that blocked the other exits.

Moving quickly, Hermione magically fortified first one table and then another before she heard the crash and breaking noise of first one window being forced open and then another. From there it was a wave of battle that Hermione could barely keep up with. The lines weren't equally formed here and so Hermione dared not use any large spells. She kept herself to one on one battles and providing the necessary background support for her fighters.

They were losing, it seemed, when Hermione spotted a huge man bellowing orders. The man's skin was black as the night, though his eyes glowed blue in the darkness. She made her way towards him, guessing that this was Yennus. She was blocked, however, and engaged into battle by three men and by the time that she had finished with them her target had vanished.

She helped where she could, however Hermione could feel her strength waning quickly. Not only was she getting tired magically, but also her injures from the bandit battle had opened and Hermione grimaced as one such cut bled sluggishly.

Tying off the injury with a bit of cloth Hermione shouldered her pole arm and made for the main part of the castle. The stairs were bothering Hermione in her weakened state and that almost cost her, her life. She had stumbled onto a platform when a flash of steel made her stumble back. She was not fast enough a received a shallow cut that sliced through her clothes and down from her collarbone to naval.

"Damn." She cursed shortly as she hid on the steps of the stairs. "Damn, damn, damn."

"Come on now, girly. I'm waiting." A deep voice taunted her and Hermione felt her blood boil. He was taunting her. This was the man who skinned people alive for money, and he was taunting her.

Praying for a moment, Hermione took a chance and thrust herself back around the corner with a battle cry. The blade of her pole arm came into contact with his shield and Hermione's resolve wavered. He was huge; easily towering over any person she had ever met, disregarding Hagrid and others of giant blood. Though, she contemplated as she skipped away from his attack and began to circle him, he could have some troll heritage.

They continued to relay strikes and blocks and Hermione found herself growing increasingly tired. She had to keep her magic for whatever traps the man upstairs was keeping for her. This man was just a large muggle- a very large and physically powerful muggle. She had to preserve her magic.

Sweat stung Hermione's eyes and she blinked rapidly, not wanting to risk brushing it away with her hand.

"Getting tired?" The man taunted. "Why don't you just go back to whatever hell you came from. I might even let you leave."

"In your dreams." Hermione responded back and was appalled to find herself gasping as though she was out of shape. It shocked her when she realized that she might loose this bought. She realized when her magic finally zapped away from her body. She stumbled and braced herself as the man gave a whoop of joy and brought down the sword.

Her eyes closed in resignation Hermione was quite shocked when she heard the sound of clanging swords. A flash of dark hair was all that Hermione saw before she submitted to her injures and tiredness.

_E Pluribus Unum_

When Hermione awoke she found herself covered in bandages in a bed back in her room at the inn. The door creaked open and Hermione found herself face to face with Gwaine. Her heart leapt into her mouth. Gwaine had saved her.

"Gwaine." She exclaimed happy to see him up and about, even more so that he had saved her.

He raised his hand to her, his face dark with anger. "Hermione." He stated and moved towards her. His hand reached out to touch her face, however he retracted it. "I need to go."

"Go?" Hermione asked feeling unsure.

Gwaine nodded and pulled up a chair to the bed. "I've received a letter from Merlin stating that he needs my help. I must answer him."

Hermione nodded vehemently, though her heart ached at being separated from him. "Of course."

Gwaine nodded and they sat in silence for a time before Gwaine stood with a sigh. He got to the door and stopped.

"You never should have magicked me."

With that he was gone and Hermione's heart stopped. He had known. He was furious.

It was later on in the evening when the door opened again and Hermione smiled at the dark haired man who was backing into the room carrying a tray.

"I'm sorry to have hurt you, Gwaine." She apologized, looking down at her hands as the door closed. "I never meant to. I just needed to go and help those people, and you were injured. I'm sorry."

"I don't know who this Gwaine fellow was, but I highly doubt that he would truly blame you for such a brave and selfless act." Hermione's head shot up with gasp and she was met with dark eyes and a medium skin toned handsome man.

"Who are you?" She asked fearfully and tried to pull the blankets up. Her grip was too weak, however, and the blankets barely budged. The man brought the tray over and set it down on the bedside table and sat in Gwaine's vacated seat.

"I am Lancelot. The villagers had informed me of your quest. I apologize for arriving so late, as that you had been injured."

Hermione's world froze before rolling and spinning out of control. "It was you?"

He nodded and grabbed a spoon to push around the soup on the tray in order to cool it. "I defeated the man who you were battling before giving the slave trader to the villagers. They executed him this morning."

Hermione gulped. She was certainly glad that she had slept through that. Executing someone was not a decision that she would have liked to make, to kill a man in cold blood. She wasn't sure she could do it to any one. A spoon entered into her line of vision and Hermione met the gentle eyes of the man who had saved her.

"Eat up before it gets cold. I know you're too weak to handle a spoon right now, so though it might be irksome I hope that you will relieve yourself of your pride and let me help you." Hermione waited for a moment, internally battling before opening her mouth.

The soup was good and the two fell into an uneasy series of conversations. "You have magic." He said finally, laying the spoon down and pressing a cup of water to her lips.

Hermione glared at him as he forced her to drink and swallowed before answering. "Why does everyone I meet now a days have the ability to pick that off right off the bat."

Lancelot, despite the prickly response, laughed. "I was there at the battle, well I showed up late. My apologies. I knew there was a mage at work because of the sheer madness that was occurring. Explosions out of no where, people walking around without heads, fireworks." Hermione blushed at her magic ridden plan. "It's all right." The man continued. "One of my best friends has magic. I trust him with my life."

Hermione's ears perked. "Really?"

Lancelot nodded. "Truly."

Hermione laughed. "Good."

They grinned at each other, some tension leaving before Lancelot asked. "What are you doing way out here, if you do not mind me asking?"

"I am on a mission from the court physician of Camelot."

Lancelot's eyes lit up. "Gaius."

"You know him?" Hermione questioned and Lancelot nodded.

"I know him and Merlin very well. Merlin has my absolute allegiance."

Hermione caught his eye and held it. Was it possible that Lancelot knew Merlin's secret.

"Oh, really." Hermione replied, trying to sound nonchalant. "Do you know Merlin well?"

Lancelot seemed to pick up on her line of questioning, he was indeed quick witted. They held eye contact for a time before Lancelot leaned forward in his seat. "So, you know." It was a statement, not a question.

Hermione nodded. "This mission is for him." Hermione answered. She was prepared to tell Lancelot everything. Even Gwaine knew not for what they were seeking, and that was a constant source of fighting for the couple. She could not, however, confess what they had been searching for, without risking Merlin's secret.

"I am searching for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Merlin needs training, desperately. They are the only ones that can truly help him."

"And what about yourself?" Lancelot asked not unkindly.

Hermione looked away. "Merlin does not know of my magic, and I am unsure if I will ever tell him. At least, not until I find the school. He's a danger to himself and to others as he is right now."

A hand gripped hers and Hermione met the fiery light of Lancelot's eyes. "You truly believe that he is that dangerous?"

Hermione nodded. "He once conjured a tornado in an attempt to help a battle. He lost control and a lot of people became injured. If I had not been there..." Hermione trailed off as Lancelot raised a hand.

"Then, I pledge to help you in your quest. For Merlin's sake, we must find this school." Hermione stared at this man. Already Merlin was gaining the followers that he would have in his legendary life. There was something about the boy that drew people to him and made them want to be loyal to him forever.

Finally, Hermione outstretched her arm and allowed Lancelot to clasp her arm as she clasped his. "I accept your help."

They nodded and an alliance of Hermione and Lancelot was formed.

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**Bamf. More twists and turns. No, there will not be any romance between Lancelot and Hermione. I have a fear that I wrote Legolas instead of Lancelot at one point, however I could not find it. If its in there- sorry. Again, my work isn't edited.**

**So, I want reviews. I want more than three for this chapter, or I will even less motivated to write. I mean come on, I know that this is good stuff, but I deserve to hear that from all of you. I routinely have over four hundred people reading each chapter. I know that more than ten of you can spare a few minutes to make me happy.**

**Cheers.**

**iBless!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello all! Work has been an absolute nightmare. I moved from grand old Boston down to Atlanta and let me tell you- give me a crotchety northerner any day. When we northerners don't like you we tell you to f-off and and not afraid of being honest. These people are like your fake-gay friends (super LGBT friendly here). They're all like 'OMG, I LOVE YOU LOL, WE'RE BFFS' when secretly they dislike you. They call it Southern Hospitality and being polite. I call it 'fake'. I would much rather be told off and to know where I stand, than to have someone place nice with me when I can tell that they really don't care at all. Different strokes for different folks, I guess. So this chapter is a wee bit shorter than my last. I still do not have internet, so I have been living in coffee shops trying to update. Enjoy! And Review, review, review!**

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Hermione and Lancelot had ridden on from the village where they met, the village where Gwaine left and were now cresting a rise that looked over a new town. Hermione rolled her shoulders, still very stiff from the fight. She had done some raw magical healing on herself once her strength had returned, however it was still not enough to make her well. As it was Luna was lead tied to Lancelot's Bayfire, a nicely spirited gelding.

Her fingers could barely clench open and close, at some point she had gotten covered in deep cuts across her hands, possibly when the table and windows had exploded. Her wounds would heal, her scars however would ache her every time the rain would come and the cold would settle. Gwaine had sent a brief letter saying that he had entered Camelot and that she shouldn't worry and that he had been unreasonable. Gwaine further stated that he loved her deeply and would catch up with them on their journey.

Hermione's heart fluttered as she read the letter and she caught Lancelot giving her a small smile at her obvious infatuation. She came back to reality as Lancelot clicked his tongue and gave his horse a nudge forward. She was looking forward to a soft bed, sleeping on the ground whilst injured was not on a list of her favourite activities.

They settled into the inn easily before taking to exploring the town. Hermione had to buy some herbs that she hadn't been able to find in the wild. So far she had been very successful, three herbs that she had not been able to find in the wild, nor in the other towns and villages that they had stopped at previously. She made a living on this journey healing, and these would make her job a lot easier.

There was a slight chill in the air and Hermione eyed a heavy scarf that was in one of the better off stalls. If she was careful with her funds, she could afford to buy the pretty object. Something small bumped into her and Hermione looked down sharply and caught the image of a child running away from his parents. She turned to follow him with her eyes and saw the horse and carriage that was coming towards the youth at a high speed.

There was no way that the vehicle could stop in time. With a shout Hermione threw herself in front of the child, or attempted to. She was immediately swept up, she and the child, and they were both crashed onto the ground and out of harms way. A sick feeling churned in her stomach, which had been rough on her already bruised body. There was screaming.

"You idiot!" The heavy weight of the person who had saved them was lifted off of them. Hermione's vision was then filled with a gigantic man. The sound of leather on flesh made Hermione stand sharply.

"Stop!" She cried, not believing her eyes. The man who had saved them was now on his knees being punished. A toppled over basket of wagon destroyed apples was littered over the road. A glint caught Hermione's eye as a hand gripping a whip came down over and over onto the man. "Stop, please!" She cried again and surged towards the travesty.

Arms wrapped around Hermione and she was held back, screaming until her throat was raw from the effort. Lancelot was holding her. "He is a slave, Hermione." He explained to her in barely contained fury, watching the master punish his property for the destruction of their wares.

"I don't care what he is." Hermione exclaimed, tears rushing from her eyes. "He's a person, and he saved me. He shouldn't be being beaten."

Another large man came over and levered the now incredibly injured slave onto his shoulder. As the beaten slave had been carried off the slave's owner came over. "I apologize for upsetting you, mistress." He now seemed like a completely different man. Middle aged and humble. He met Lancelot's eyes. "Women, I find, are often too touchy and care too much for slaves."

Lacelot's eyes were cold, however his smile was friendly enough. "I do not support slavery."

The man shrugged. "Means no difference to me. The slave destroyed my wares, he needed to be punished. You shouldn't concern yourself with the likes of them- slaves are thieves and if you don't stay on them with a whip- lazy."

"People aren't meant to be slaves." Hermione's voice was cold and she held the man's eyes. He might have seemed like a good man, however anyone who beat another person for saving others was a man of little morals.

"Your righted to your own opinion." The man bobbed his head in respect before turning away to leave.

"Wait!" Hermione cried and forced her way out of Lancelot's arms. "Wait." She repeated more forcefully. The man, though he didn't need to, obliged her. He turned around to face her once more.

"Mistress?"

"How much is his bond?" Hermione asked before Lancelot could stop her.

"He's not for sale, clumsy as he is, he's my best worker."

Hermione wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. "Name your price, I'll pay whatever you ask within reason." She added the last part after a nudge from Lancelot. He didn't necessarily like what she was doing; they didn't have money to spare until she healed more people. However, he couldn't deny that it was the right thing to do.

"Three gold pieces." Lancelot's back stiffed, the man might as well have slapped them with that price.

"One." Hermione bartered. The two continued back and forth until they agreed on one gold piece, two silver, and four coppers. It was steep. The man had milked them like a sponge, however Hermione was determined to save her savoir.

They had until sundown on the next day to present him with the funds or the deal was off. Even if they forsaked their inn rooms, they had nowhere near enough to their names. This meant that the two had to do what they did best. Lancelot gave up his room and took off into the night, determined to make money by way of the sword.

Hermione on the other hand opened her room up to the public for anyone needing a healing. She soon realized that she could not charge these people much money; a lot of them had only a few copper bits to rub together. It seemed as though for every few people that she healed for a charge, she was healing another for free. The state that these people were in was disgraceful. She finally thought to ask upon helping an extremely malnourished farmer.

"You don't know?" He asked her in surprise. The man obviously had once been much larger, but now his patched and dirty clothes hung off him, and his eyes were hollow with the want of a good meal. At Hermione's negative headshake the man answered her question. "Our fields have been withered for years, and our land is in drought. Hermione finished tending to him in silence, a plan forming in her mind.

Since her arrival in Essetir she had been steadily consuming the magical art of the times. It was finding those books in old sellers stalls, and talking to people who lived far out of the way, and for good reasons. It was quite possible that she might be able to help with this situation.

When night fell on that first day Hermione sat up from her bench and stretched her aching back. The sound of it cracking resounded throughout the room and Hermione winced, rubbing the abused appendage. Her efforts had been worth it, and before her stood a bubbling cauldron of potion. It had taken the use of some of the precious potions ingredients from home, however Hermione thought it had been a fair use of her meager stores.

She capped the potion and then stood. Moving over to a corner she tugged picked up the fabric that she had bought along her travels and brought it over to her worktable. She had bought the scraps to be used for bandages and slings, however they would suit her purposes. She picked up her wand from the table and with an image in mind; she tapped the fabric and spoke a transformation spell that she had learned all those years ago from Professor McGonagall.

When Hermione knocked on the door she internally moaned at the ache it gave her in her bones. The door opened and Hermione was met with the open air. Glancing down she saw a small youth and smiled politely down at the red headed boy.

"May I please speak to the headman?" The boy nodded mutely and let her into the home. It was late, she knew that, and rousing the man would take some time. She was instead lead into a warm kitchen where a woman placed a small plate of warm dumplings in front of her.

"Grandmother, what brings you out so late?" The woman asked with a yawn. She was around fifty years in age and portly, however Hermione's disguise was older. She had taken her cue from Fred and George and had consumed an aging potion. She now showed herself as a nearly seventy-year-old woman in raggedy deep purple robes.

"I'm here to help. I was passing through and noticed all the fields of this land have gone to fallow."

The woman nodded sadly. "We don't know what happened. One day the water in our great lake started to disappear, soon it was dry. Then the land started to become parch and nothing grew. The rain comes, but never enough."

Hermione stayed silent however, something was aching her. "That young boy who answered the door. He's up so late, for someone so young."

The woman shrugged. "He's an all purpose slave. We keep him by the door at night to answer in case of callers."

"A slave!" Hermione gasped, scandalized once more. If she could buy both the boy and that man she would. She would set free all the slaves in Europe if she could.

The woman shrugged. "I would rather be a slave at times."

Hermione made a strangled noise. "Why ever for?"

The woman lifted a wooden cup to her lips and took a long drink. "A servant can always be fired and left without housing, food, or employment. A slave is cared for all of his days." She paused. "My master is a good man, he would never abuse anyone here. If he were to sell his slaves, he would make sure that they are taken care of properly. Servants aren't always so lucky, despite his efforts."

Hermione stayed silent. This was something that she hadn't expected. The idea of a slave wanting to be a slave, and further a servant wanting to be a slave was unthinkable. The thoughts and theories continued to swirl and muddle in her mind. She supposed that if she were a spy, then being a slave would be the best place of all. Slaves can go anywhere, at any time and it was generally thought that he or she was there on orders from their master. They were talked in front of, because of the common and incorrect notion that a slave was stupid.

That man, however. His master was not treating him well. She would save him, and she just hoped that there were more slave owners in the world that treated his people like this headman did. A voice cleared at the door and Hermione turned to see a man in a serving man's livery.

"If you would please follow me?" Hermione nodded and stood. After thanking the cook for her meal, Hermione followed the footman up into the second story of the large home. She was led to a sitting room and once she stepped inside, the door closed.

She eyed the headman and his wife. They were well off, however these people obviously didn't take more than their people could afford. A small insignia on his clothing marked the man as a lower level duke. Both he and his wife's clothes hung off them, showing that they took no more food than anyone else. He was balding at the top of his head in an awkward manner, by chucks. His brown hair crested over a high forehead, chubby boyish cheeks and merry blue eyes. His wife had long black hair that was piled and hung at the back of her head, making the appendage lean backwards from the tremendous weight of the tresses. Her skin was a golden tone that could have only meant that somewhere along the lines she had Middle Eastern or African heritage.

"Hello, Grandmother." The man greeted formally and Hermione, unsure, bobbed a small curtsy and stumbled at the moment, her old body disliking the motion. He gestured rapidly to a chair, looking alarmed. "Please do not stand on our behalf."

Hermione took the seat gratefully, if this was what being old felt like, she was determined to create a spell or potion to relieve a person of his or her aches and pains.

"Good even, your Grace." Hermione bobbed her head first to the man and then to his wife.

"Who do we have the pleasure of addressing?" The man asked, not unkindly, humor showing in his eyes.

"Nymphadora Longbottom, if it pleases." She murmured, averting their eyes respectfully. She had chosen the name so that it could not be traced back to her and especially not back to Gwaine, Lancelot, Gaius, or Merlin.

"And what can we do for you, Mistress Longbottom?" The man asked. His face hadn't even twitched at the slightly humorous last name.

This time Hermione met their eyes. "I possess certain gifts."

"Magical gifts?" The Duke's wife spoke for the first time and Hermione nodded her head.

"I am a white witch." She explained. "Mostly I heal. However I was traveling along the outskirts of this land and noticed a lake, or what used to be one. Through talking with your people I came to understand that the lake dried up and with it your crops."

The man looked uneasy, and whether it was because of Hermione's magic, or the mention of their troubles, she was unsure.

"This is true." He replied finally and reached out to clasp his fingers around his wife's hand.

"I would like to help."

"For a fee." He answered sharply, aware of a possible swindling.

Hermione smiled at him as though she was truly a grandmother, warm and welcoming with a huge emphasis on trust and honesty. "Of, course. A small one. You may decide the price, and if I do not complete the job you shan't have to pay me a thing."

"Tell us why we should trust you." Instructed slowly and carefully. Hermione got the impression that the duchess was a strong woman who ran the household with a kind, but iron thumb.

"I have nothing but my word to give you. I have no children," not a lie, "and I am not from around here. I wish to help for a number of reasons." She held their eyes with hers so that they could see her honesty. "I have heard naught but good things about how you care for your people. I can see how you are taking less food than most of your stature would, because it would place further strain on your charges. I came through and saw the overall state of your people, and thus it would be a gift to you. I cannot dislike anyone who treats their servants and slaves as you two do."

The room was silent for a long time. Eventually the man made a gesture and the door opened behind her, a footman must have been there waiting and had received a signal. She was once again escorted to the kitchen and fed. It was an hour or so later when the footman brought her back to the sitting room.

"We accept your offer." The duke replied and continued, "we will set out at first light for the lake." Hermione smiled at them.

"That would be perfect." The man swept an arm towards the footman who had been waiting.

"Bring Mistress Longbottom to a room and give her what she requires for the evening." The man nodded mutely and Hermione was led through winding halls until she ended up in a cozy stone bedchamber. She was presented with linens and changed for the evening, taking care not to look at her older body. There were some things that she just didn't need to see or know about herself.

At first light Hermione, the Duke, a few other men and then men-at-arms rode out from the Duke's home and straight for the lake. It was a short ride, not even a half hour and when they arrived, Hermione allowed herself to be helped down from her steed.

She instructed the others to leisure about while she inspected the surroundings. The duke, who she learned was called Duke Pennelmore, followed her as she did her inspections. He was always silent, but not in a way that made Hermione uncomfortable. He almost seemed like a child, eager to learn, but with an adult's restrained attitude. Eventually, when the silence came to be too much, she began to explain certain things about the area, the plants, and what she was seeing.

The duke was an attentive listener and when she gave her allowance began to ask questions. Eventually she was asked a question that made her pause in walking. "I know that it is not my place to ask, however what is it that you intend to do with your funds, should you be successful?"

Hermione thought for a few moments, weighing and judging her options. "There is a young man and a young woman who are riding through here. I witnessed the young woman saving a child. She in turn needed saving, and she was by a slave. He dropped a basket of apples, which were crushed." Hermione paused before her emotions could overwhelm her. "He was severely beaten by his owner. The woman began to barter a price for his freedom, and the man named a sum that was way beyond what he should be asking. I know that the man she was with has ridden off to earn money and she is in the village healing people via the traditional means. They can't make the money in time without help."

"So, why not just ask for it?" The Duke questioned.

She squared a look at him, and the Duke was surprised to see such a look on an older lady's face. "I refuse to be a charity case. I will earn the money, and help out this slave. A man that heroic has earned his freedom." With that being said Hermione turned and continued to amble along the lakeside.

An hour later had her sitting under the tree staring at the dry lakebed as if it had bitten her she could find no reasons why the lake had dried up. There were no signs of magic. She was beside herself with frustration. The whole situation was really getting under her skin.

Under her skin.

That was it! Hermione shot up from her relaxed position and bit back a yelp as her body protested the movement. Under the lake, the problem must be under the lake! There was just one thing to do. Hermione closed her eyes and relaxed her body and breathing. Normally, things like this required a circle of power, to keep her power in and anything dangerous from getting out. This time, however, Hermione was to be searching the ground, so having that barrier would be an issue. She would just have to be very careful.

Bit by bit, Hermione sunk into herself through rhythmic breathing. Breathe in for seven counts, hold for seven, release for seven, and then finally pause for seven. It was something that she had been doing since her third year of Hogwarts. The stress and the strain of using a time turner and the lack of sleep had made it so that her magic would lash out and become accidental magic.

She had turned to Professor Flitwick for guidance and he worked with her on this method. Of pulling herself in and centering herself. She would have to do this mediation under his guidance, in one of her circles at first. The method Flitwick would use was for Hermione to envision a box, or something of the like and she would place her magic in it. Drawing it in and catching all of the fly away strands. It was difficult. Eventually that box became the core of her magic.

She opened the lid to that box as she sat under the tree in Camelot, an old sturdy dark wooden box that lived in her mind. It represented a lot of things for her: her magic, her control, a box for her also meant learning- her school trunk, and it also meant strength: the heavy would and iron hinges were solid and unbreakable. Her magical core was there shining bright and pulsating with the want to be used, the feeling was intoxicating. Hermione sent forward an impulse and slowly, as if spun in a fire a wire of golden flame crept out of the quivering ball. She let its light and power fill her from her hands to her feet.

Once her body was filled, Hermione let her consciousness enter that light. She was that light. She then let herself fall into the earth. The ground surrounded her and at first she panicked, her fear of being crushed was overwhelming. It was with great effort that Hermione shoved away that betraying emotion and disciplined her mind to the task at hand.

In her mind, Hermione opened her eyes and began to see the rock formations around her. Sending out her power she could envision every plate and every layer that existed under the lake. And there it was. She understood now. Under the above ground lake, was a second lake that was being fed by a stream. The lake looked full and overwhelmed after years of being fed into with no release. Following the route that the water should have been taking Hermione saw what the issue was.

A plate had moved to block the channel. An earthquake or some other natural phenomenon had shifted this massive piece of rock and it was now preventing the natural course of the water. This project would take more power than she had brought down into the earth with her. Spirit Hermione stretched her mind back over the yards of earth until she was looking at herself. It was strange, not only seeing yourself outside of a mirror, but seeing you old when you weren't supposed to be. Shaking off the feeling Hermione called to that box she had built inside of herself and opened it.

First one, then two, three, and then finally an amassed amount wires came to her and Hermione funneled them through the earth to where her spirit herself had waited. The magic all melded into one and Hermione instantly sighed in relief- she was beginning to feel a bit stretched.

Slowly, carefully, Hermione pushed the power out and away from her and towards the plate. Nothing happened, however if there was one thing that Hermione had in droves it was patience. She waited until finally, the plate shifted a micro fraction. It continued quickly from there and that's when she began building in a foundation to take up this empty space. She couldn't allow the pressure from the buildup to be released all at once, which would have been disastrous.

Instead she built into the earth an irrigation system. The water would travel through her channels and some would find earthen block and the other would fine open routes. The earth barriers that she erected would eventually be worn away by the flow and force of the water, however it wouldn't happen too quickly. Leaning back from her work, Hermione reviewed it thoroughly, searching for any mistakes or hiccups. Finding none, she gathered herself and her magic, careful to leave none behind, and began the long trek back to her body.

It was slow going, she was tired and her magic felt heavy as it coiled into her hands. When she finally reached her body Hermione was happy to place her wires back into her box and shut it. Entering back into her rhythmic breathing, Hermione slowly eased back into her corporeal body.

When her eyes opened Hermione was startled to see the Duke seated near her. He wasn't staring; instead he was reading a book as though sitting next to an old witch was the most natural thing in the world. Hermione tried to shift and ended up squawking before nearly falling over. It was Duke Pennelmore was there instantly and his firm grip kept Hermione from disgracing herself further.

She nodded in thanks before coughing: her throat was so parched! A waterskin was pressed into her hands and she once again nodded her thanks before opening the container and drinking greedily from its contents. When her thirst was quenched Hermione handed back the significantly emptied container and began to stretch out her muscles.

The Duke, to his credit, didn't rush her and for that Hermione was grateful. She was tired, morbidly so, but knew that, that feeling would pass. Magic had two forms for exhaustion, acute and chronic. The acute form was what she was experiencing. She would be fine in an hour; the chronic was something that would leave her feeling sick for days.

"I found the problem and fixed it, your grace." Hermione said finally after tending to her own needs.

The Duke nodded. "I know, the effects of your workings have already been noticed." Hermione allowed the Duke to help her up and then leaned on him heavily as he took her to the lakes edge.

There in the middle, was a tiny puddle of water. It would grow, with time, but soon the lake would be back to what it was. She sighed in relief. And relayed that it would happen gradually, but the lake would be back.

The Duke nodded and while he helped her back to the horses asked for her to explain. He was diligent in his listening and Hermione didn't need to explain herself more than once. Soon the party was ready to leave and Hermione was grateful. They arrived back at the house as the sun was dipping in the sky, had her work really take that long?

She was once again brought to their sitting room, and this time the duke and duchess took an evening meal with Hermione. Once the meal was finished the duke leaned back and eyed Hermione. "I thank you for what you've done for my people."

Hermione ducked her head; she didn't do well with praise. "Thank you, your grace."

"I have thought over your reward, and we have decided to award you a purse of fifty gold colds."

"Fifty!" Hermione cried, sitting up straight. That was more than a poor man's family made in a year.

The Duke nodded and put up a hand when Hermione protested. "Your intentions to help others are noble, the work that you did was flawless, and something tells me that you will be very important in the future. I am more than happy to fund such a cause."

Hermione stayed silent. This was more than she ever could have hoped for. She could now buy that man's freedom- she could buy so many people's freedoms!

"I have spoken with the man who's slave saved the young lady." The duchess told Hermione surprising her. The Duke must have relayed the story to his wife somehow, while Hermione was working on the lake.

"The slave will be given to the young lady and we will personally be checking up on the welfare of his staff. The purse is for you and yours, you are a traveler- inns and bribes are expensive."

Hermione was speechless. She now understood the loyalty she had witnessed from every person these people had touched. She bowed her head lowly, and was soon excused from the table. As she was leaving the Duke stopped her.

"Before you leave, Mistress Longbottom." Hermione turned and the Duke met her eyes.

"Know that the House of Peverell will always be grateful to you. We're in your debt, indefinitely. Know that you can call on us at any time." Hermione nodded gratefully and then left the estate as soon as possible.

The sun was not an hour from setting when Hermione, looking like herself, came to the farm to collect her new slave. The man, now much less friendly, handed the man over with his few meager belongings and when Lancelot arrived back at the inn, his portion of funds in hand Hermione smiled at him from dinner her with new friend.

"Lancelot, I would like to introduce you to Percival, a newly freed man, and our newest friend."

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**I hope that this chapter surprised you, and if you caught my surprise in there, which I hope you did let me know! If you did catch it, you're very clever and have a good memory- if you didn't best luck next time. Anyway, I hope that you enjoyed this and please tell me what you think. I'm at a crossroads in plot, and wish for your input.**

**Cheers,**

**iBless!**


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